Olly Esse, an Italian DJ, was allegedly assaulted by a female executive of Air India at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad on August 19. This incident occurred after Esse went up to an Air India executive to inquire about her flight which was delayed for nine hours.
@MoCA_GoI today I was physically assaulted at the Hyderabad airport by an #airindia employee! The police don't want to take my complain! And the security of the airport didn't even react when they saw it! What should I do?
— OLLY ESSE (@OLLYESSE) August 19, 2018
Esse told IBT Media that she was on her way to Mumbai and had to stop at Hyderabad at 7 am on August 19. Her flight to Mumbai was supposed to leave at 9:30 am but was delayed without any further information to the passengers. Esse said, " I went up to the Air India Help Desk to inquire regarding the flight status. They did not even provide and food for us.
There was a lady with the Air India badge. She did not give any information and told us to wait. At one point, she became extremely rude and argumentative. I asked her for her name and employee number to file a complaint, the woman refused to give out her name. That's when I started taking a video to try and catch a glimpse of her name. When the lady realised what I was doing, she smacked my hand very hard and my phone also fell down."
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She said, "I have lodged a complaint with the airline and I just want to know if any disciplinary measures have been taken against the woman."
When Esse went to the police inspector to file a complaint, he was not available. The other police officer who was present did not take the complaint. Esse says that she has contacted her lawyer who will help her.
The Shamshabad Deputy Police Commissioner said, "Our inspector was very much present in the police station outside the airport. The DJ seems to have searched around the place where the offence is said to have taken place. Instead of calling the police, she chose to take to social media. Our Inspector (M Mahesh) replied to her tweet giving his contact details and asking her to call back since we did not have her number. She did not call. We registered a case and started the investigation," when contacted by the Bangalore Mirror.
When Air India was contacted, they said, "The person (female employee) is an outsourcing employee. She did not slap her. That was a false allegation. Esse was filming the employee with her mobile phone, to which she (the employee) objected and tried to stop her. In the melee, her phone slipped from her hand but did not fall on the ground", when speaking to News18.
After Esse tweeted about the incident, the Rajiv Gandhi Internation Aiport Police Station responded to her tweet and gave her the Inspector's contact number.
Bangalore Mirror reports that Esse did not contact the police but said that she left her contact information with the police officer who was present at the time.
@hydcitypolice I've been physically ASSAULTED today at Hyderabad Airport by an #airindia employee, went to the police station near the airport and they deny to put the complain because apparently inspector was not there. I'm shocked!
— OLLY ESSE (@OLLYESSE) August 19, 2018
The DCP also said, "We have identified the woman executive of Air India who is said to have slapped the DJ. We will record her statement and place the details before the court for further orders," the DCP said. The cops are verifying the DJ's allegations that some people on duty heckled or laughed at her. "The CCTV footage will give us further clues".
(International Business Times has contacted Air India and is currently waiting for a response.)
