A young man from Assam’s Cachar district, who was slapped mid-flight by a fellow passenger while reportedly experiencing a panic attack, has gone missing, according to his family.
The incident occurred aboard an IndiGo flight from Mumbai to Kolkata. The man, identified as Hossain Ahmed Mazumdar, a gym trainer based in Mumbai, was en route to his hometown in Katigorah, Assam, with a connecting flight from Kolkata to Silchar. However, his family claims he never boarded the Silchar flight and has been unreachable since.
A video of the incident has gone viral on social media, showing a visibly distressed Hossain being escorted to his seat by IndiGo cabin crew. As he is being assisted, a co-passenger suddenly slaps him, sparking shock among crew members and other travelers.
According to a media reports, Hossain’s phone is believed to have been left behind in Mumbai. His family, waiting at Silchar airport, became alarmed when he failed to arrive and have since contacted local authorities.
“We went to Udharband police station near Silchar airport but received no concrete update. His phone is switched off, and we have no idea where he is,” said Zubairul Islam Mazumdar, a relative.
Hossain’s father, who is reportedly battling cancer, has been devastated by the news. “He was working hard in Mumbai to support us. I saw the video this morning. Now I don’t even know where my son is,” the relative added.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), IndiGo confirmed the mid-air incident, stating,
“We are aware of an incident involving a physical altercation on board one of our flights. Such unruly behaviour is completely unacceptable, and we strongly condemn any actions that compromise the safety and dignity of our passengers and crew.”
The airline added that the crew followed standard procedures and that the individual responsible for the slap was handed over to airport security upon landing in Kolkata. Regulatory authorities have been informed, it said.
Family Seeks Investigation
Hossain’s family is now demanding a full and transparent investigation into his disappearance. They are calling for the release of CCTV footage and airport records to help determine his whereabouts following the incident.
As of now, there has been no official confirmation from police regarding Hossain’s status or location.