Chandigarh, July 4 - A 21-year-old Indian-origin man has been arrested in the US for allegedly assaulting a fellow passenger on a Frontier Airlines flight from Philadelphia to Miami on June 30.
The incident, partially captured on video, shows Ishan Sharma of Newark, New Jersey, and another passenger, Keanu Evans, getting into a fight. The fight reportedly began shortly after Sharma returned to his seat.
Evans, who was sitting directly opposite Sharma, told officers that the attack was unprovoked. He claimed that Sharma started threatening and berating him, saying things like, “You are a bad person. If you mess with me, you will die today.”
Evans said he initially tried to calm the situation by alerting flight attendants and pressing the help button. However, he alleged that Sharma escalated the confrontation by grabbing him by the throat. “All of a sudden he grabbed me by the throat and started choking me,” Evans said in an interview with 7News. “At that point, I had no choice but to defend myself,” he said.
Video footage shared by other passengers shows two men grappling with each other as other passengers try to stop them. Flight crew intervened to break up the fight.
Sharma was taken into custody upon landing in Miami. During a court appearance on Tuesday, Sharma’s lawyer said the incident was caused by a misunderstanding while his client was meditating, a practice related to his religious beliefs.
While Evans says the attack was unprovoked, at least two passengers claim Evans made inappropriate comments toward Sharma during the flight. Sharma is being held on a $500 bond. A judge has issued a stay-away order, prohibiting contact between Sharma and Evans while the case proceeds.