Mumbai emcee claims he was assaulted by Nepal Airlines security

Vishaal Aloysius Rasquinha 30 a Mumbaibased emcee voiceover artist and anchor was recently allegedly manhandled by airportdelete AIRLINES security staffers at Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport KTM Nepal for allegedly expressing his frustration over a delayed flight to MumbaiLegal noticeA legal notice has been issued against Nepal Airlines alleging misconduct The passenger Vishaal held a confirmed return ticket for the November 24 flight scheduled to depart at 1220 pmInjury marks allegedly sustained from the assaultDespite arriving at the airport at 1030 am Vishaal claimed the airline failed to provide timely updates about the indefinite delay Frustration escalated as repeated inquiries at 1230 pm and 1245 pm were allegedly met with unprofessional responses By 3 pm passengers were informed the flight would be postponed until 9 pmThe situation worsened when Vishaal reported being physically assaulted and detained by security staff Allegedly confined in unsanitary conditions he suffered visible injuries and mental trauma The legal notice demands accountability from Nepal AirlinesDemandsVishal and his legal team have demanded compensation of Rs 15 lakh for damages incurred The amount includes reimbursement for additional travel and accommodation expenses as well as compensation for alleged mental agony and physical injuryThe notice warns that failure to respond adequately may result in consequences for noncomplianceStill in shockldquoI was in Nepal to attend a wedding and have been there since November 21 I was to leave for Phuket Thailand in the early morning on November 25 but all my plans got changed due to Nepal Airlines delayed flight from KTM I had no time to pick my baggage from home and instead landed buying an additional pair of clothes which added on to my expensesrdquo said VishaalldquoI am yet to come out of the shock I do get nightmares which scare me Five security personnel had nailed me down snatched my mobile phone and got me to delete all the contents before they dumped me into a tiny dingy restroom slapped and assaulted me for merely articulating my situationrdquo said VishaalParents worriedShalini 61 and Lionel 63 parents of Vishaal were worried when he did not return home in the afternoon on November 24 as per the scheduled plan ldquoIt was only in the wee hours of November 25 he called us from Mumbai airport before taking the flight to Phuket Thailand and narrated his ordeal we learnt about the incidentrdquo the parents saidldquoWe approached the law firm which was prompt enough to issue legal notice to the airlines but till now we havenrsquot received any response to the legal notice issued We will wait for some time before putting in motion other legal remedies including moving the consumer court as the tickets were booked in Mumbai and the airline too have their offices in India We also have come across passengers who were flying with Vishaal and have acknowledged the happenings and have assured to testify the same before the court whenever requiredrdquo said ShaliniAdvocate speakldquoThe incident involving Nepal Airlines highlights a critical need for accountability and sensitivity within the aviation industry Passengers deserve timely information respectful treatment and a safe environment Unlawful detention and physical assault are unacceptable violations of fundamental rights and it is imperative to address such injustices to safeguard the dignity of every travellerrdquo said Advocate Sarosh Damania who issued the legal notice on behalf of VishaalOther sideWhen contacted Ganesh Kumar Ghimeere manager at Nepal Airlines Mumbai office said ldquoI am aware of the legal notice but I am not authorised to speak to the media you may contact Ramesh Poudel Deputy Director Marketing and official spokesperson of the airlinePoudel and Nepal Airlines did not respond to any phone calls and emails sent on November 29 and two reminders till the time of going to press