Indian Army Officer at Srinagar Airport Falsely Accused; Video Conceals True Story

Amid sensational media reports accusing a senior Indian Army officer of assaulting airline staff at Srinagar Airport on July 26, fresh details and eyewitness accounts have cast doubt on the original narrative and highlighted potential harassment by SpiceJet staff.

Contrary to claims being widely circulated online, the officer involved, a Lieutenant Colonel posted at the High Altitude Warfare School in Gulmarg, was reportedly carrying a single cabin bag weighing between 8 and 9 kg, which SpiceJet staff at the check-in counter had explicitly allowed onboard. The officer had conveyed to the staff that he was travelling urgently to Delhi on short leave, and had even offered to check the bag.

Airport sources present there indicated to this reporter that the officer was later stopped unexpectedly at the boarding gate by a group of SpiceJet personnel, who insisted on re-weighing his baggage—an unusual secondary check after official clearance. Reports also highlight provocative remarks from SpiceJet staff, with one allegedly commenting, “Aaj Army wala fansa hai” (“Today we have trapped an army man”), implying deliberate targeting.

According to an airport security official who witnessed the scene, the passenger confronted the SpiceJet staff about the sudden obstruction and also attempted to comply by discarding items from his bag to reduce its weight. Despite this cooperation, SpiceJet staff abruptly closed the boarding gate, causing him to miss the last flight of the day and triggering a heated verbal exchange.

Sources familiar with SpiceJet’s operations pointed out that such arbitrary, last-minute gate checks are not new. Several passengers previously reported similar harassment at airports across the country, expressing frustration at what they perceived as deliberate attempts by the airline to extract additional charges.

The incident escalated into a physical confrontation after the officer was physically jostled and aggressively approached by multiple SpiceJet staff members.

It is interesting to note that the SpiceJet staff quickly admitted themselves to the hospital and filed an FIR despite there being only minor bruises. The actions appear disproportionate to the actual incident, adding to the dubiousness already created by the video clip suddenly garnered a lot of attention on August 3, over a week after the date (July 26) on which the incident took place.

Significantly, a formal and amicable resolution between SpiceJet’s local management and the officer had already been reached soon after the incident. “The issue had been resolved through dialogue and mutual understanding immediately afterwards,” an airport official who witnessed these proceedings confirmed.

Reacting to the controversy, the Indian Army spokesperson in Srinagar said, “The matter involving an alleged altercation between an Army personnel and airline staff at Srinagar Airport on 26 July 2025 has come to the notice of the Indian Army. The Indian Army is committed to upholding the highest standards of discipline and conduct and takes all allegations seriously. Full cooperation is being extended to the authorities in investigating the case.”