Trigger Warning: the article discusses sexual harassment and assault. Despite the MeToo movement, sexual violence against women is still widely prevalent. One woman recently shared her harrowing experience on an Etihad flight from Calcutta to Boston via Abu Dhabi. She also shared how the Etihad crew protected her and helped her get to her connecting flight. Here are all of the important details that you would need to know about this unfortunate incident.
Woman Shares Harrowing Incident On A Flight From Calcutta
Sharing an incident that happened with me in the flight from Calcutta to Abu Dhabi (transit to Boston).
I am very grateful to the staff of @__Etiihad and the Abu Dhabi police for the support they provided me.
TW: Sexual Assault
— Ananya Chhaochharia (She/her) (@ananyac05) July 18, 2024
According to a series of posts made on X (formerly known as Twitter), a woman was groped and harassed on a flight from Calcutta to Abu Dhabi. She said she was seated next to a CEO at Jindal Steel, Dinesh Saraogi on the flight. He began talking to her.
I was seated next to an industrialist (Dinesh Kr. Saraogi, CEO of Jindal Steel)
He must be roughly 65 in age & told me he now lives in Oman but travels frequently. He started chatting me up – very normal conversation about our roots, family etcHe is from Churu in Rajasthan…
— Ananya Chhaochharia (She/her) (@ananyac05) July 18, 2024
Then he asked her if she liked watching movies. When she said yes, he took out his phone and started showing her pornography. Soon after, he also began groping her. She excused herself on the pretext of going to the bathroom. She also complained to the crew of the Etihad Airlines.
& both sons are married & settled in the US etc.
The conversation moved to what my hobbies are. He asked if I enjoy watching movies & I was like of course. He then proceeds to tell me he has some movie clips on his phone.
He whips out his phone and earphones to show me PORN!— Ananya Chhaochharia (She/her) (@ananyac05) July 18, 2024
As per her posts, the crew was very proactive and gave her space to sit in their seating area and served tea and fruit to her. Saraogi kept asking them where she went but they did not tell him. When they landed at Abu Dhabi, she was escorted to the next gate to ensure that he did not come close to her.
He started groping me. I was frozen in shock and scare.
I eventually ran off to the washroom and complained to the air staff. Thankfully the Etihad team was very pro-active and took action immediately. They made me sit at their seating area and served me tea & fruits.
— Ananya Chhaochharia (She/her) (@ananyac05) July 18, 2024
How The Etihad Crew Came To Her Rescue The Woman
He kept calling them to ask where I had gone. The staff also informed the cops at Abu Dhabi who were waiting as soon the gates of the aircraft opened.
I could not proceed with a complaint because I would have missed my connecting flight to Boston.
— Ananya Chhaochharia (She/her) (@ananyac05) July 18, 2024
She tagged the company and said that the only reason she was sharing this post on social media was to show that things like this could happen to anyone. The lady also said that she was still shaken from the incident but was doing fine.
I was escorted to the next gate to ensure he does not come near me. He also did not deny this when the cops asked him questions.
I am sharing this because I want to remind everyone that something like this can happen to anyone.
— Ananya Chhaochharia (She/her) (@ananyac05) July 18, 2024
She said that the only reason she didn’t wait back to file an official complaint was because she would have missed her connecting flight to Boston. Many people in the comments section sympathised with her. However, there were some who passed insensitive comments.
I am working to get this incident out to the founder of Jindal Steel @MPNaveenJindal so that he is aware of the kind of people who are in leadership. I am also afraid of how this molestor must be treating his female employees from a place of power.
— Ananya Chhaochharia (She/her) (@ananyac05) July 18, 2024
P.S I am fine, a little rattled and disturbed. I feel violated but I also want to make sure this never happens to another woman.
— Ananya Chhaochharia (She/her) (@ananyac05) July 18, 2024
Have you ever had any similar experiences on a flight or elsewhere? Let us know in the comments section below!
Cover Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons
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