"Was Scared, Shivering": IndiGo Flier Slapped During Panic Attack

The man who was slapped by a co-passenger after a mid-air panic attack on an IndiGo flight has said that he was assaulted when the accused saw that he was "scared".

Hussain Ahmed Majumdar, 32, a resident of Assam's Cachar, suffered a panic attack when he was travelling from Mumbai to Silchar via Kolkata on Thursday. Two cabin members were reportedly helping him exit the aircraft when a passenger, Hafijul Rahaman, suddenly slapped him.

He was detained upon landing in Kolkata and handed over to the police. He was later released.

"I boarded the flight at 2 AM. I was scared, and my body was shivering from fear, so I sat next to a passenger. I asked his name, and he said Hafijul Rahaman. I understood that he is Muslim and gave my 'salam'. When he saw me, I was nervous, and he lost his control and slapped me 3-4 times," Mr Majumdar, who works at a hotel in Mumbai, told reporters.

He also said he didn't "misbehave" with the co-flier.

"The cabin crew intervened and asked him why he slapped me. The cabin crew offered me water and tried to calm me down," he said.

After they deboarded in Kolkata, Mr Majumdar and the accused were taken to a police station for questioning.

Mr Majumdar said he missed his flight to Silchar as he was later taken to a hospital for a check-up.

"Due to the slapping, there is pain on my head and I find it difficult to get up easily," Mr Majumdar said.

After the disturbing incident, he was found at a railway station in Assam's Barpeta, about 400 kilometres from Silchar, on Saturday, a day after his family filed a missing complaint with the police.