Co-flyer misbehaved with me, says Malaysian student

MANGALORE/BANGALORE: An employee of a private hospital has been arrested after a Malaysian student accused him of misbehaving with her on a flight.

The girl, a student of a dental college in Mangalore, said Ankur Agarwal, 36, touched her inappropriately on the JetKonnect flight from Bangalore to Mangalore on Tuesday. The flight had left Bangalore at 7am.

The girl accused Agarwal, manager, quality , with Manipal Hospitals, Bangalore, of misbehaviour. Though she didn't report the incident to the cabin crew, she complained to airline staff on landing. They informed Bajpe police, who took him into custody for questioning.

Agarwal was later arrested and taken to Wenlock Hospital for a check-up . Police said a magistrate remanded him to judicial custody.

Police inspector Narasimha Murthy said Agarwal was charged under IPC's Section 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty).

The accused told police, sources said, that he was taking a nap during the flight, and that an accidental slip of the hand was misconstrued as sexual harassment.

The inspector confirmed that the victim did not complain to the cabin crew. "We'll call the cabin crew for questioning,'' He said. The crew was unaware of the incident till the girl spoke to the ground staff. "If the incident had happened mid-air , the crew has to file a report with the safety department at the Bangalore office (of the airline),'' a source said.

Girl's allegation

Ankur Agarwal touched her inappropriately on a Bangalore-Mangalore flight

Accused says

A slip of the hand during a nap was misunderstood as misbehaviour

Booked under

IPC's Section 354, under which an accused can be sentenced to a jail term of up to two years and a fine

Immediate effect

Accused arrested, subjected to medical test, remanded to judicial custody

Now what

Since alleged incident occurred mid-air , the cabin crew might be questioned
Hospital refuses to comment

Agarwal was to conduct a quality audit of the Mangalore and Manipal hospitals . The girl was returning to Mangalore from Malaysia .When TOI contacted Agarwal to ask him for his version, he disconnected the call . Repeated attempts to contact him were futile.

Manipal Hospitals declined to comment. Ganesh Selvaraj , senior GM, human resources , Manipal Hospitals , told TOI: "Ankur Agarwal , manager , quality , is an employee associated with us, and we are aware of the matter . Since the investigation has not been closed and police are probing the situation, we cannot comment further at this time."

NEWS Link:- http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2014-01-29/bangalore/46781262_1_cabin-crew-manipal-hospitals-judicial-custody