- A ground staff member at Bengaluru airport was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a Korean woman
- The woman was approached by staffer Mohammed Affan and subjected to a pat-down search near the men's washroom
- Affan claimed an issue with her luggage and insisted on a separate check
A ground staff member working at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport has been arrested after a Korean woman accused him of sexually assaulting her on the pretext of a pat-down search.
The woman has said in her complaint to the police that she was at the airport on Monday, January 19, to board a flight to Korea. After completing immigration checks, she was proceeding towards the terminal. A male staffer, identified as Mohammed Affan, approached her and asked to see her flight ticket. He then claimed there was an issue with her check-in luggage and that it had produced a beep sound.
Affan allegedly told her that returning to the regular screening counter would take time, and she might miss the flight. He insisted that she needed to be checked separately and took her near the men's washroom. Affan allegedly touched her inappropriately despite her objections. When she resisted, he allegedly hugged her, said "thank you", and walked away.
The woman immediately reported the incident to airport security personnel, who took the accused into custody and handed him over to the police. The police then went through the CCTV footage from the airport and saw Affan's deplorable act. Based on the Korean woman's complaint, the airport police registered a case and arrested Affan. Further investigation is underway.
Affan worked for Air India SATS, which provides ground and cargo services at airports. Air India SATS described the incident as "unpardonable" and said it had sacked Affan. "An unpardonable incident was reported at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru. The employee involved was immediately terminated and handed over to the authorities for further legal action. We deeply regret the emotional distress caused by the incident and have extended all necessary support to the guest. A comprehensive inquiry is underway to strengthen safeguards and prevent any recurrence. AISATS is fully cooperating with the authorities and remains committed to the highest standards of ethics, safety, and compliance," it said in a statement.
