'Lane is for staff, are you anpadh': How a verbal argument at Delhi airport escalated into physical assault by Air India Express pilot

NEW DELHI: A senior Air India Express pilot has been grounded after allegedly assaulting a passenger at Delhi airport’s Terminal 1 on Friday.

The incident reportedly began when Captain Virender Sejwal told passenger Ankit Dewan, “This lane is for staff. Are you anpadh [illiterate]?”, triggering what initially was a verbal altercation that escalated into a physical assault.

How the events unfolded

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• On Friday at Delhi Airport’s Terminal 1, a confrontation occurred between passenger Ankit Dewan and Air India Express pilot Captain Virender Sejwal. The dispute began when Dewan used a security lane reserved for airline staff to expedite screening for his family, which included his wife, a seven-year-old daughter, and a four-month-old infant.
• The pilot allegedly told Dewan, “This lane is for staff. Are you anpadh [illiterate]?”, sparking a verbal argument. Dewan reportedly used strong language concerning his ailing mother, escalating the situation.
• Dewan claimed the verbal exchange turned physical, leaving him with a bloodied face. Airport security personnel intervened to separate the two, preventing further escalation.
• Captain Sejwal continued to Bengaluru on his scheduled IndiGo flight but was barred from operating his next Air India Express flight. The airline later stated that the pilot has been grounded pending inquiry, and appropriate disciplinary action will follow based on the findings.
• Dewan shared photos on X showing him in a blood-stained white shirt. He said he had to seek medical attention and that his seven-year-old daughter remains traumatized after witnessing the assault
• Dewan claimed he was pressured to write a letter promising not to pursue the case, fearing he would miss his flight and lose Rs 1.2 lakh in holiday bookings

Delhi Police stated that regarding a social media post by Ankit Dewan on platform X alleging physical assault by an Air India Express pilot at Terminal 1, no formal complaint has been filed with the police either by Dewan or the airline.


The police became aware of the incident through the social media post, and they said that appropriate legal action will be taken once a written complaint is submitted by the victim.

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