Wheelchair-bound passenger 'humiliated' at Bangalore airport

Dec 10, 2016

A physically handicapped person has alleged that he was severely "humiliated" and "mocked" by a security officer at the Bangalore airport when he was to board a flight for the national capital. The incident comes even as the Disabilities Bill is being tabled in Parliament. The Bill proposes a jail term of up to two years and a fine of up to Rs 5 lakh for people who discriminate against the differently abled.

Twenty-nine -year-old Nipun Malhotra, a disabled rights activist, who suffers from a congenital disorder called arthrogryposis and is wheelchair-bound, was allegedly asked to bend and stand despite his physical condition.

Malhotra has complained to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and head of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), seeking an apology from the concerned officer and an assurance that disabled persons won't be subjected to such humiliation and discrimination.

The alleged incident took place around 2.45 pm on November 30 when Malhotra was flying to Delhi in an IndiGo flight. In the complaint dated December 7, Malhotra has termed the incident "horrible". CISF sources confirmed that they have received a complaint and that the matter is being looked into.

Malhotra's complaint states: "He asked me twice to stand despite my saying that it would be impossible for me. He then asked whether somebody can lift me out of my wheelchair so that I might be properly checked... I could have tripped and fallen on my face. He insisted on this despite seeing that I use a belt on my chair."

Malhotra told DNA that the "inhuman treatment" by the CISF officer went on for around seven minutes and he even refused to issue a boarding pass. The episode ended only after the intervention of a senior officer, Malhotra said.

Malhotra said he has travelled abroad but has never faced any difficulty. "What is terrible is the lack of action. The lack of insensitivity is shocking," he said.

In October too, a similar incident was reported from the Bangalore airport, where paralympian Aditya Mehta was allegedly forced to take off his prosthetic limb. Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), which operates the airport, however, refused to comment on the frequent occurrences of such incidents. A BIAL official, on condition of anonymity, said: "We have not received any complaint about this incident. If we get one, we will order an inquiry. We understand that persons with disabilities need to be treated sensitively."

Source: DNA India