Missing Youth from Assam Found After In-Flight Assault, Rescued at Barpeta Road

In a dramatic turn of events following a mid-air assault that sparked nationwide outrage, Hussain Ahmed Mazumdar—a youth from Katigorah in Assam’s Cachar district who had gone missing after being reportedly harassed onboard an IndiGo flight—has been traced and rescued. He was found at the Barpeta Road railway station in lower Assam and is currently on his way back to Silchar by train.

The incident has exposed serious gaps in airline protocol, airport security, and post-incident passenger handling.

Mid-Air Assault Captured on Video

Hussain Ahmed Mazumdar, a resident of Lathimara village in Katigorah, was returning home from Mumbai on Thursday via IndiGo flight 6E 138, with a stopover at Kolkata. According to sources, the youth had been working in Mumbai and was flying back to Silchar.

Soon after takeoff from Mumbai, Hussain reportedly appeared to be in discomfort. Cabin crew members were seen in a video attempting to calm him. However, in a shocking escalation, a co-passenger was seen slapping Hussain in front of the crew. The disturbing footage, recorded by another passenger, quickly went viral, sparking widespread condemnation and raising serious questions about passenger safety and the airline’s handling of such incidents.

Upon landing at Kolkata's Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport at 5:35 am, both individuals involved in the incident were handed over to the airport police. While IndiGo stated that the accused was turned over to security personnel and issued a formal warning, he was released shortly after and not arrested.

Disappearance Sparks Panic

What unfolded next left the family and the public deeply concerned. After the assault and brief detention, Hussain was supposed to board a connecting flight to Silchar. However, he never arrived. His phone was switched off, and his whereabouts remained unknown for nearly two days.

His family, who had gone to receive him at Silchar Airport, were left devastated and desperate for answers. Hussain's last known communication was shortly after landing in Kolkata, after which he went completely incommunicado.

Speaking to the media, Hussain’s uncle described the ordeal:

“He has been missing since the day before yesterday. However, later, he had informed us that he was returning to Silchar, so his wife and other family members went to the airport on Friday. But instead, we saw a video where he was being beaten inside the plane. Since then, none of us has eaten anything. We received support from people across the country. Thankfully, we found out today that he was on a train, and we sent people to receive him at Barpeta Road station. He is not well medically. We demand strict action against the person who thrashed him. No one from IndiGo, the state government, or the aviation ministry contacted us. We are extremely anguished.”

The family has lodged an FIR at Katigorah Police Station and urged authorities to investigate both the assault and the subsequent disappearance.

IndiGo Responds, But Questions Remain

IndiGo Airlines issued an official statement condemning the mid-air assault and confirmed that the accused was handed over to airport police. However, the airline has not addressed how a passenger in distress, who had just been involved in a violent incident, was left unsupervised and later went missing from an airport under CISF and airline security surveillance.

This apparent lapse has raised alarm among civil society groups and aviation safety experts, who are now questioning post-incident passenger care protocols. Concerns have also been raised about how such an incident could occur in the presence of airline staff, and why no immediate medical or psychological evaluation was conducted for the assaulted passenger.

Family’s Plea for Justice

Amid the chaos, the family has appealed to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and other authorities in both Assam and West Bengal for immediate intervention and justice. They are demanding stringent legal action against the passenger who physically assaulted Hussain.

“We are grateful to social media. Without it, we may never have found him. But the trauma we have gone through is unimaginable,” said a family member.

As of now, Hussain Ahmed is on his way to Silchar, accompanied by relatives who received him at Barpeta Road station. Family members say he is physically and mentally unwell and will be taken for medical evaluation upon arrival.

Larger Questions Loom

The incident has triggered widespread outrage, especially among rights groups and members of the Assamese community. Many are questioning how airline authorities and airport security personnel allowed a vulnerable passenger to go missing in the aftermath of such a publicized incident.

What began as a shocking case of in-flight violence has now expanded into a larger controversy about accountability, transparency, and passenger rights in India’s aviation sector.

The family, meanwhile, awaits not just Hussain’s safe return—but answers.

Also Read: Man from Assam Slapped Mid-Air on IndiGo, Vanishes After Landing