Jaw broken, spinal fracture: How extra cabin luggage fees led Army officer to ‘murderous assault’ against SpiceJet staff

A huge row has erupted over an altercation at Srinagar airport, where a senior Army officer allegedly attacked and severely injured several SpiceJet ground staff on July 26.

The officer was reportedly asked to pay a fee for excess baggage while flying out of Srinagar. That is when the situation is reported to have turned violent.

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SpiceJet said it has filed a police complaint and also written to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, calling the incident a “murderous assault” and demanding action.

Meanwhile, the Indian Army released a statement saying that it remains committed to upholding the highest standards of discipline and takes all allegations seriously.

So, what caused the clash? And what has happened since?

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Let’s break down the story:

Army officer thrashes SpiceJet staff: What happened?

The clash took place during the boarding of SpiceJet flight SG-386 to Delhi.

The officer, who is currently posted at the High Altitude Warfare School in Gulmarg, allegedly reacted angrily when airline staff told him he had to pay extra charges for carrying luggage over the cabin limit.

VIDEO | On July 26, 2025, a passenger reportedly assaulted the SpiceJet employees at the Srinagar boarding gate of flight SG-386 after being informed about excess cabin baggage. Despite being escorted back by CISF for bypassing security protocol, the passenger launched a brutal… pic.twitter.com/bxM83CoN84

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 3, 2025

He was carrying two cabin bags weighing 16 kg in total, more than double the allowed limit of 7 kg, the airline said.

When the staff informed him of the extra weight and the fee, the officer allegedly refused to pay and tried to enter the aerobridge without completing the required boarding checks, violating security rules, NDTV reported.

A Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) official in charge of airport security then took him back to the boarding gate. That’s when, according to SpiceJet, things turned violent.

The airline claims the officer became aggressive and physically attacked four members of the ground staff. The assault included punches, repeated kicks, and hitting them with a queue stand.

SpiceJet said one staff member was knocked unconscious and others suffered serious injuries, including a spinal fracture and jaw injury.

“Our staff members suffered a spinal fracture and serious jaw injuries after being attacked with punches, repeated kicks and a queue stand,” the airline said.

All four were taken to the hospital and are still receiving treatment.

Videos of the incident have now gone viral on social media.

‘Murderous assault’: What did SpiceJet say?

In its statement, SpiceJet strongly criticised the attack and said it had filed an FIR and initiated steps to place the passenger on a no-fly list. The airline has also written to the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

As per the FIR, accessed by CNN-News18, the Army officer has been booked for “murderous assault” following the altercation.

The FIR describes the incident as “unprovoked”, “violent”, and “abusive”, targeting “multiple civilian employees of SpiceJet”.

It has been filed under sections 115(2), 126(2), 351(2), and 131 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, relating to voluntarily causing hurt, wrongful restraint, criminal intimidation, and assault or use of criminal force, according to News18.

The complaint also mentions that the officer “verbally abused and criminally intimidated in an aggressive and threatening manner”.

SpiceJet said it had submitted CCTV footage of the incident to the authorities.

#BreakingNews | CNN-News18 accesses airport #CCTV showing Army officer assaulting SpiceJet staff@Ieshan_W with details#SpiceJet #Assault | @Elizasherine pic.twitter.com/o0TTq5Om4a

— News18 (@CNNnews18) August 3, 2025

“SpiceJet strongly condemns any act of violence against its employees and will pursue this matter to its fullest legal and regulatory conclusion,” the airline said.

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What did the officer say?

Speaking to The Indian Express, the officer said, “I have no story to tell. The story is that they harassed me and provoked me. That is all.”

Sources told The Times of India that the officer was on emergency leave and had also filed an FIR, alleging that he was mistreated and missed his flight.

What did the Indian Army say?

Meanwhile, the Indian Army issued a statement on Sunday, saying it is committed to maintaining the highest standards of discipline and takes all such complaints seriously.

“The matter involving an alleged altercation between an Army personnel and airline staff at Srinagar Airport on 26 July has come to the notice of the Indian Army. The Indian Army is committed to uphold the highest standards of discipline and conduct, and takes all allegations seriously,” the statement read.

It added that the Army is fully cooperating with the authorities in the ongoing investigation.

With inputs from agencies