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New Delhi: The Bengaluru police have taken into custody a 25-year-old airport ground staff employee for allegedly molesting a South Korean businesswoman at Kempegowda International Airport, misusing the excuse of a “manual frisking”.
The accused, identified as Mohammed Affaan Ahmed, a resident of Kammanahalli in east Bengaluru, was working with a private agency that provides ground handling and passenger support services at the airport. A local court has since remanded him to judicial custody.
According to investigators, the incident took place at around 10 am on Monday, January 19, when the woman was preparing to board her flight back to South Korea. After completing security screening and immigration checks, she was heading towards the boarding gate at Terminal 2 when Ahmed intercepted her in the departure area.
Police said Ahmed examined her boarding pass and claimed there was a problem with her baggage. He then told her that she needed to undergo another frisking and led her towards a secluded spot near the men’s washroom. There, he allegedly touched her inappropriately under the guise of a security check.
In her complaint, the woman stated that the frisking was intrusive and continued even after she objected. She alleged that Ahmed walked away only after saying “thank you”. Visibly shaken, she immediately reported the incident to airport officials, following which Ahmed was detained and handed over to airport police.
A senior police officer said that the accused had no authorisation to conduct any additional security check. “CCTV footage clearly shows him escorting the woman to an isolated area,” the officer added.
Ahmed has been booked under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita related to sexual harassment. His statement has been recorded, and police noted that he did not deny the sequence of events during questioning. Further inquiry revealed that he had been employed at the airport for nearly 18 months.
