Woman alleges groping by doc onboard Chennai-bound flight

CHENNAI: A female passenger alleged sexual harassment inflight by a doctor, while traveling from Jeddah to Chennai on Saturday. A complaint has been made with the airlines and also the airport police.

Police said that there were 235 passengers onboard and the woman was travelling alone. The doctor, about 45 years old hailsfrom Thanjavur and works at a hospital in Saudi Arabia.

In a series of tweets, the passenger detailed her ordeal, wherein she alleged that the doctor allegedly groped her, mid-air. The woman, on realising that a passenger behind her seat was groping her, confronted the man and then informed the cabin crew.

[TW Sexual Harassment] - 🧵Yesterday I flew @SaudiAirlinesEn to Chennai from Jeddah (connecting at JED from LAX). I had a window seat on this leg to MAA and was traveling solo. In the last hour of my flight to MAA, I felt something rub against the side of my left breast.

— Abi! (@chamathukodam) June 19, 2022

The crew, according to the woman, made her comfortable and then facilitated her filing a complaint with the airlines. Meanwhile, captain of the flight informed the ground crew and on landing at the Chennai airport, the male passenger was whisked away by airport officials and CISF personnel.

The woman filed a complaint with the airport police station and detailed as to how the male passenger kept on requesting her to not file an official complaint.

In her tweets, the woman mentioned that the man pleaded her saying he was a doctor and his career will be spoiled and that he was married with a daughter.

Airport police said that they apprehended the man on information and were conducting enquiries. After the man profusely apologised to the woman, she decided to not pursue the complaint and gave it in writing, police sources said.