Air India Express Pilot Grounded Following Alleged Assault of Passenger at Delhi Airport
NEW DELHI, December 19, 2025 – An off-duty Air India Express pilot has been removed from official duties following an alleged physical assault on a passenger at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport Terminal 1 on Friday. The incident, which has sparked a massive social media outcry, has prompted the Ministry of Civil Aviation to order a formal enquiry.
The Allegation
The incident came to light after the passenger, identified as Ankit Dewan, posted a detailed account on the social media platform X. Dewan, who was traveling with his wife, a seven-year-old daughter, and a four-month-old infant, alleged that he was guided to a staff and PRM (Persons with Reduced Mobility) security check lane due to his stroller.
According to Dewan’s account:
- A dispute began when he called out airline staff for allegedly cutting the queue.
- He alleged that Captain Virender Sejwal of Air India Express, who was traveling as a passenger on another airline (reported as “deadheading*” to Bengaluru), questioned if he was “uneducated” (anpadh) and could not read the signs.
- Dewan claimed the verbal altercation escalated into a physical assault that left him bloodied. He shared photographs showing injuries and blood on his clothing.
“My 7-year-old daughter, who saw her father get assaulted brutally, is still traumatized and scared,” Dewan wrote. He also alleged that he was forced to sign a “no-pursuit” letter by airport authorities to catch his flight and avoid losing holiday bookings worth ₹1.2 lakh.
*In aviation, deadheading is when an airline transports its own crew (pilots, flight attendants, etc.) as passengers on a scheduled flight to reposition them for a future duty, rather than having them fly the aircraft or serve passengers on that specific flight.
Official Responses
Air India Express: The airline issued a statement condemning the behavior and confirmed that the pilot was traveling as a passenger at the time. “The concerned employee has been removed from official duties with immediate effect, and appropriate action will be taken pending thorough investigation,” a spokesperson said.
@ankitdewan We profoundly regret this incident at Delhi Airport, involving one of our employees who was traveling as a passenger on another airline. We extend our heartfelt empathy for the distress it has caused, and strongly condemn such behaviour. The concerned employee has…
— Air India Express (@AirIndiaX) December 19, 2025
Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA): Taking “serious cognizance” of the matter, the Ministry directed the airline to ground the pilot immediately. A formal enquiry has been ordered, and detailed reports have been sought from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).
The Ministry of Civil Aviation has taken serious cognizance of the incident and directed the airline to ground the pilot with immediate effect.
— MoCA_GoI (@MoCA_GoI) December 20, 2025
A formal enquiry has been ordered. Detailed reports have been sought from BCAS and CISF.
Delhi Police: As of Saturday morning, there was no official response from Delhi Police on this matter. However many news channels quoted Delhi Police saying they have not received a formal written complaint. “No such matter has been reported to the police station either by Ankit Dewan or by the airline. The matter has come to the knowledge of the police through the social media post,” the police statement clarified, adding that legal action would be initiated upon receiving a formal complaint.
Medical Response and Airport Management Concerns
Dewan also raised concerns regarding the medical response at Terminal 1, claiming first aid took approximately 45 minutes to be administered after an initial responder arrived “empty-handed.” He further criticized the airport management for combining staff and infant-carrying passenger lanes, calling the arrangement a “ticking time bomb” for conflict.
While Air India Express has grounded the pilot, the findings of the investigations by BCAS and CISF are expected to clarify the exact sequence of events and whether preventive measures were bypassed by security personnel on-site.
