Army Officer Baggage Row at Srinagar Airport: Veteran Brigadier Defends Him Amid SpiceJet Allegations

A senior Army officer allegedly assaulted SpiceJet staff at Srinagar airport. Retired Brigadier Neil John later defended the officer on LinkedIn, questioning media bias and urging the nation to hear the military's side too.

On July 26, a serious incident took place at the Srinagar airport involving a senior Army officer and SpiceJet staff. The officer, a Lieutenant Colonel from the High Altitude Warfare School in Gulmarg, allegedly assaulted four airline employees during a boarding dispute on flight SG-386 to Delhi.

According to SpiceJet, the officer was carrying two cabin bags that weighed a total of 16 kg, more than twice the permitted cabin limit of 7 kg. When staff asked him to pay extra charges, he refused. The airline claims he then bypassed normal boarding rules and entered the aerobridge without clearance.

When staff tried to stop him, a violent fight broke out. One staff member was knocked unconscious, another had a spinal fracture, and a third was reportedly kicked in the jaw. All injured employees were taken to the hospital.

Brigadier Neil John responds on LinkedIn

After the incident made headlines and went viral, Brigadier Neil John (Retired), who was awarded the Sena Medal, posted a detailed response on LinkedIn. While he admitted that both sides may have made mistakes, he strongly defended the officer and raised concerns about how the incident was portrayed by the public and media.

Questions raised about staff behaviour

Brigadier Neil John claimed that staff at Srinagar and Jammu airports has a history of misbehaving with Army personnel. He said he has personally witnessed ground staff being rude, 'making fun of jawans and even purposely isolating them'. He suggested that such actions may provoke altercations.

He questioned whether the officer truly acted out of aggression or if he was reacting to being treated unfairly. According to the Brigadier, the officer had only one set of bags and was still trying to talk with the staff when the situation escalated.

Criticism of media and public reactions

The Brigadier said that many people online were quick to abuse the Army officer, calling him names and judging him without knowing the full story. He pointed out that social media comments labelled the officer with insulting terms like 'CSD ki free daru' and worse.

He wrote that this same officer serves the country in tough conditions, lives away from his family and risks his life during disasters and wars. Yet, instead of being respected, he was being insulted publicly without a fair trial or investigation.

A wider debate about respect for the Army

Brigadier John also referred to how public trust in the military has been shaken in recent times, especially during debates over Operation Sindoor. He said people focused more on the small percentage of losses rather than the overall success of the mission.

He added that the nation often questions its own soldiers while being quick to believe negative narratives. According to him, it is important to give soldiers a fair chance to tell their side, instead of blindly trusting one version of events.

A call for fair judgment

The Brigadier ended his post by saying that the truth will come out only after a full and honest investigation. He urged people not to judge based only on what the accuser says or what the media shows. He also asked for accountability on both sides, not just from the Army.

The airport incident has started a larger conversation in India. It is not only about what happened at the airport, but also about how the public treats its soldiers. While the facts are still being checked, many feel that both sides of the story should be heard before making a judgment.

Indian Army on the incident

As per the statement from the Indian Army official, "The matter involving an alleged altercation between an Army personnel and airline staff at Srinagar Airport on 26 July has come to the notice of the Indian Army. The Indian Army is committed to upholding the highest standards of discipline and conduct and takes all allegations seriously. Full cooperation is being extended to the authorities in investigating the case."