An Air India crew member was assaulted in her hotel room in London, sparking an ongoing police investigation, the airline confirmed on Sunday. The incident occurred at the Radisson Red Hotel at Heathrow, a property operated by a major international chain.
According to reports, the assault took place early Saturday morning.
The cabin crew member reportedly awoke to find an intruder in her room, who then attacked her with a clothes hanger and dragged her across the floor.
Despite her attempts to flee and her screams for help, the intruder prevented her from escaping. Her colleagues, who heard her cries, rushed to her aid, and she was subsequently taken to a hospital for treatment. The assailant has been arrested.
Air India issued a statement expressing deep concern over the “unlawful incident of intrusion” and confirmed that the company is offering full support to the affected crew member, including professional counselling.
The airline also noted its cooperation with local police and hotel management to prevent future incidents.
“We are deeply anguished by this incident and are working closely with the local authorities and hotel management to ensure such events do not recur,” an Air India spokesperson said. The airline has not yet commented on speculation regarding possible sexual assault.
Congress leader Manish Tewari condemned the incident, criticising Air India for allegedly ignoring safety concerns previously raised by the crew.
Tewari accused the airline, now owned by Tata Companies, of failing to address known security issues at the hotel, which included inadequate lighting and unsafe conditions.
“The news of the assault is extremely disturbing. It is even more concerning that the cabin crew had repeatedly flagged security issues that went unaddressed,” Tewari stated on X.
“Air India’s negligence in ensuring the safety of its staff is unacceptable,” he added.
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