NewDelhi: The controversy over IndiGo staffers manhandling and dragging a flyer at Delhi airport on October 15 took a new turn on Wednesday with the airline telling the government that its sacked `whistleblower’ employee had `instigated’ the entire episode. The airline said the staffer blamed for manhandling flyer Rajiv Katyal, who had flown in from Chennai on 6E 487, was trying to prevent Katyal from harm near the jet and just doing his job.IndiGo president Aditya Ghosh said this in a detailed report submitted to the aviation ministry on Wednesday while “acknowledging we were at fault… apologise for this regrettable incident… have also taken action (suspended peo ple pending probe)”. Giving the airline’s version, Ghosh writes: “The ex-employee Montu Kalra, who was terminated and is claiming to be the `whistleblower’, is the one you hear shouting in the video.” IndiGo president Aditya Ghosh said, “The ex-employee, Montu Kalra, is the one you can hear instructing the other two colleagues who were junior to him to prevent the customer from boarding the bus and holding him back at the ramp itself… He instigated the incident and further provoked the customer by beginning to shoot a video on his mobile phone… Kalra was not terminated because he either shot a video or as he is now claiming brought this to our attention,” Ghosh’s letter says.
Airline staff stop passengers from getting near any live ground equipment to avoid hurting themselves. “When our staff Juby Thomas saw Mr Katyal inadvertently mov ing towards the catering highlift (which was attached to the aircraft), Thomas started waving frantically from a distance to ask Mr Katyal to move away with the sole intention of preventing any accident,” Ghosh’s report said, adding that Thomas started shouting to be heard by the passenger due to the high aircraft noise.
“It is possible that due to the very noisy ramp area, Mr Katyal could not hear Juby Thomas properly and … may have felt Thomas was being rude. The reality is that Juby Thomas was only trying to ensure the safety of Mr Katyal and prevent an accident,” the letter says.
It adds that Katyal was “irritated and irate”. “it seems Mr Katyal asked Juby Thomas to `f*** *ff ‘… Thomas turned around and asked Mr Katyal why he is abusing him.” After this the airline gives a sequence of events with pictures from the now-viral video clip which are as follows: First, “Montu Kalra is shouting at the two employees who are junior to him and instructing them to prevent Mr Katyal from boarding the bus.” While Thomas asks Katyal not to board the bus, another ground staffer, Sahiv Sharma, asks the driver to drive the bus away. At this time, the passenger is arguing with Thomas and trying to enter the bus.
When the bus doors closed, IndiGo report says, “Katyal reached out and grabs Juby’s (who is keeping a safe distance) face.” “Even while Juby Thomas is being assaulted, Thomas does not retaliate and Sahiv Sharma (the other ground staffer) tries to separate the two by embracing Mr Katyal from the back and escorting him away…. Even after Mr Katyal is separated from Thomas, he once again charged towards him and grabbed Thomas’ face… in the process both of them lose balance and fall to the ground…. Thomas (tries) to move away while he continues to get assaulted. ” Ghosh accepts that he wishes the `regrettable’ situation was “handled differently”.”Whatever may have been the provocation, whether verbal or physical abuse, we could have tried to display more restraint.” He adds that he apologised to the customer “the very same night” and assured him of a thorough probe. The employees were suspended.
Bureau Report
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