MUMBAI: A man from Gujarat was arrested on Monday for molesting a Jet Airways air hostess and taking a selfie against her will. Mohammed Abubakar (29) allegedly further violated aircraft rules by smoking in the toilet. He was arrested after the Damam-Mumbai flight landed at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA). The matter started after the flight took off from Damam. In her complaint, the air hostess said, “I was walking on board when the passenger (Abubakar) caught my hand and said ‘Chalo na yaar, ek selfie lethe hai’. Despite objecting, he repeatedly misbehaved with me during the journey.”
The air hostess’s nightmare started when she felt someone following her. She turned around to see Abubakar standing behind her. When he asked for a selfie, she turned him away. When she took her seat, he continued to stand behind her. When she got up, “he crossed the limit by grabbing me by the shoulder and forcefully taking a selfie”, the complaint reads.
The air hostess raised her voice. Hearing her scream, four cabin crew members reached the spot. “Seeing them, Abubakar went to the toilet. He came out after smoking in there. The crew warned him and asked him to hand over his cigarette packet and lighter,” said sub-inspector VS Pawar. “A probe is on to know how he cleared the security check with an inflammable item like a cigarette lighter. By smoking on board, he endangered several lives. His mobile phone has been seized and will be sent to the forensic sciences laboratory (FSL).”
Abubakar has been booked under the Indian Penal Code’s sections 354 (outraging modesty of women), and 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others), and under Aircraft Rules section 25 (safety violations). He is in judicial custody.
The man, who claims to be employed with a hotel at Damam, Saudi Arabia, told the police he clicked the selfie “for fun”. From Mumbai, he was supposed to fly to his hometown in Gujarat. He was handed over to the police after immigration check.
