An Indian doctor has been arrested for allegedly groping a minor girl sitting next to him on a New Jersey-bound United Airlines flight.
The 16-year-old teenage girl was asleep on the flight when the 28-year-old doctor's hand on her thigh woke her up, the Washington Post reported. Vijakumar Krishnappa, the Indian doctor, then quickly removed his hand after which the girl, who was travelling alone on the flight, went back to sleep.
A federal court complaint said that the girl, however, woke up again only to find him groping her. She reported the incident to the airline crew after which she was allowed to change her seat.
After the flight landed at the Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, the girl called her parents in Washington and told them about the incident while the accused left the airport, Johnny McCray, an attorney for the girl's family, said.
The teenager's family then filed a police complaint against United Airlines for not taking Krishnappa into detention following the assault. The FBI, which was called to investigate, used the flight manifest to locate the Indian doctor. The girl identified the accused from the photo array, ABC reported.
Krishnappa was arrested and charged with knowingly engaging in sexual contact with a minor girl, the report said citing court records filed by the FBI. However, the doctor was released on bond, placed on electronic monitoring and was ordered to not engage in any contact with minors till the case is pending.
John Yauch, the court-appointed attorney for the doctor, told the Washington Post that his client "adamantly denies the charges and deserves to be considered an innocent man."
Krishnappa is studying medicine in the US through a fellowship that permits doctors from foreign countries to learn from experts in the US.
A spokesperson from the Federal Aviation Administration said that airlines normally notify law enforcement about such incidents before landing.
"The safety and security of our customers is our top priority. We take these allegations seriously and continue to work closely with the proper authorities as part of their review," a spokesperson for United Airlines said in a statement.
