'Pilot started it': Model who recorded IndiGo assault video reveals what happened
Evgenia Belskaia, a Russian model and actress based in Delhi, said the co-pilot kept on blaming the passengers for 13-hour delay in a video.
- Jan 16, 2024,
- Updated Jan 16, 2024 7:23 AM IST
A Russian model who recorded the viral video of a passsenger assaulting an IndiGo pilot has blamed the airline for instigating the flier.
Evgenia Belskaia, a Russian model and actress based in Delhi, said the co-pilot kept on blaming the passengers for 13-hour delay in a video. "I was flying my team to Goa from Delhi and reached the airport early to board the flight, which was scheduled to take off at 7:40 am. The IndiGo team was saying that the flight had been delayed by an hour. It went on for at least 10 hours until we were allowed to board the plane."
"After boarding the aircraft, we were told that the flight had been delayed by two hours. The passengers were angry and started asking questions from the crew and the pilot," she added.
It was during this time the passenger, now identified as Sahil Kataria, got up and attacked the pilot. Kataria was arrested for attacking the pilot when he was announcing the delay. Katariya was later taken out of the aircraft by security personnel even as he apologised for his conduct.
"It's wrong to hit the pilot, but why is he blaming the passengers? Everyone was nervous and instead of supporting them you made it worse," Evgenia said in her video message.
In the video gone viral, Sahil Kataria tried to punch the co-pilot, Anup Kumar, and the cabin crew rushed to help the pilot. "Chalana hai to chala, warna gate khol" (fly if you want to, otherwise open the gate), the accused said after hitting Kumar.
A Russian model who recorded the viral video of a passsenger assaulting an IndiGo pilot has blamed the airline for instigating the flier.
Evgenia Belskaia, a Russian model and actress based in Delhi, said the co-pilot kept on blaming the passengers for 13-hour delay in a video. "I was flying my team to Goa from Delhi and reached the airport early to board the flight, which was scheduled to take off at 7:40 am. The IndiGo team was saying that the flight had been delayed by an hour. It went on for at least 10 hours until we were allowed to board the plane."
"After boarding the aircraft, we were told that the flight had been delayed by two hours. The passengers were angry and started asking questions from the crew and the pilot," she added.
It was during this time the passenger, now identified as Sahil Kataria, got up and attacked the pilot. Kataria was arrested for attacking the pilot when he was announcing the delay. Katariya was later taken out of the aircraft by security personnel even as he apologised for his conduct.
"It's wrong to hit the pilot, but why is he blaming the passengers? Everyone was nervous and instead of supporting them you made it worse," Evgenia said in her video message.
In the video gone viral, Sahil Kataria tried to punch the co-pilot, Anup Kumar, and the cabin crew rushed to help the pilot. "Chalana hai to chala, warna gate khol" (fly if you want to, otherwise open the gate), the accused said after hitting Kumar.