Missing passenger of IndiGo flight found in Barpeta

way2barak, August 3: Hossain Ahmed Mazumdar, who disappeared after suffering a panic attack during an IndiGo flight and being slapped by a fellow passenger has been found in Barpeta. 32-year-old Mazumdar, had been missing for nearly 24 hours after failing to board his connecting flight from Kolkata to Silchar.

The incident first drew attention when a video surfaced online, showing Mazumdar visibly distressed on board IndiGo flight 6E-2387. The footage shows him being escorted to his seat by crew members when a fellow passenger, Hafijul Rahman, suddenly slapped him. One of the crew members can be heard trying to calm the situation, while another passenger intervenes and objects to the violence.

Rahman later told authorities he acted because “he was causing problems”. He was handed over to the police after landing in Kolkata but was released shortly after.

Mazumdar’s family were already at Silchar airport on Friday morning, expecting to receive him. But he never arrived. It was only later that they recognised him in the viral video.

“He spoke to his wife and parents before taking the flight from Mumbai on Friday morning,” his uncle Joglu Mazumder told. “His wife, brother and aunt went to the Silchar airport to pick him up, and saw, in the meantime, the viral video. They asked the airport authorities where he was, but they didn’t know. Since then, they had been trying to call him. His phone was ringing, but he was not answering. So we have informed the Katigorah police station.”

IndiGo said on X, “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. Our crew acted in accordance with established Standard Operating Procedures. The individual involved was identified as unruly and handed over to the security authorities upon arrival. All appropriate regulatory agencies have been duly informed, in line with protocol.”

Police officials in Cachar confirmed both Mazumdar and his assaulter Rahman were allowed to leave Kolkata airport after a CISF-mediated meeting. Senior Superintendent of Police Numal Mahatta told they were in touch with Kolkata police and confirmed the details. “He was supposed to board a Kolkata-Silchar flight the next morning, but he missed it,” a police source said, adding that Mazumdar did not take any other flight that day.