The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) has issued a notice to Delhi Police, Air India and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in connection with the incident wherein a man urinated on an elderly female co-passenger in a drunken state on a New York-New Delhi flight in November last year.
Days after this incident was reported, another similar case was reported in which a drunk male passenger allegedly urinated on a female passenger's blanket on a Paris-Delhi Air India flight in December last year.
In the notice issued to Delhi Police, the DCW has sought copies of the FIR along with details of the arrests made in both the cases.
The Commission has also sought details of the action taken against the airline for its negligence.
"From DGCA and Air India, the DCW has sought copies of complaints made by the aggrieved women and action taken upon them. We have asked Air India to inform the date of occurrence of the crimes and the date of referring the cases to Delhi Police. Also, we have asked them to provide reasons for the delay in reporting the cases to Delhi Police and details of persons responsible for the delay along with action taken against them," said a DCW official.
The Commission has asked the DGCA to provide details of the standard operating procedures and guidelines being followed by all the airlines to deal with any case of sexual harassment on flights. The DCW has also asked DGCA as to why the accused have not been put on the no-flyer list.
DCW Chief Swati Maliwal has asked the DGCA, Air India and Delhi Police to provide an action taken report latest by January 10.
"These incidents are disgusting and shameful. They raise serious questions over the safety of women passengers on flights. It is shocking that the culprits are yet to be arrested. Further, they have not been put on the 'no-flyer list' by the DGCA till date. Hardly any action has been taken by the authorities, which smacks of misogyny and lack of empathy. The commission shall hold DGCA, Air India and Delhi Police accountable and seek action in the matter," said Maliwal.
(With inputs from IANS)
