An off-duty Air India Express pilot, Virender Sejwal, allegedly assaulted a passenger, Ankit Dewan, at Delhi airport on December 19, 2025. Dewan shared a photo of his bloodied face and the pilot on social media. The airline confirmed the incident and suspended Sejwal from duties pending investigation. Dewan said the incident happened near the security area at Terminal 1. He and his family, including a four-month-old baby, were directed to use a staff security check. When Dewan called out staff cutting the queue, Sejwal reportedly asked if he was "anpadh (uneducated)" and physically attacked him after a verbal fight. Dewan’s seven-year-old daughter witnessed the assault and remains scared. The passenger claims he was forced to write a letter promising not to take the matter further, fearing he might miss his flight and lose holiday bookings worth Rs 1.2 lakhs. He questioned why he could not file a complaint immediately with Delhi Police and worried about CCTV footage disappearing. The pilot took an IndiGo flight to Bengaluru after the event. Air India Express said it "unequivocally condemn[s] such behaviour" and will take appropriate disciplinary action after inquiry findings. The case is under investigation.