Upon realising that the accused was an impostor, the victim, with the help of Singapore Airlines and Air India staff, approached the police. Representative Image: iStock
Korean woman allegedly molested at Bengaluru airport during ‘fake security check’
Korean woman travelling alone molested at Kempegowda International Airport by an airport staffer posing as a security official; accused arrested within minutes
A Korean woman visiting her friends in Bengaluru was allegedly molested at the Kempegowda International Airport by an airport staffer named Afan Ahmed under the garb of a "personal security check".
The victim filed a complaint with police officers, and the accused was immediately arrested.
What happened?
On January 19, after finishing her security check and immigration formalities, the woman was on her way out when she was allegedly approached by Afan Ahmed, who claimed that there was a "beeping sound" coming from her luggage.
He told her that "a personal security check" was required and took her to a place near the men’s restroom and allegedly molested her. When she resisted, he left her, saying, “Thank you".
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"He spoke in a professional and accusing tone, which made me think it was an emergency,” the woman told India Today.
Upon realising that the accused was an impostor, the woman, with the help of Singapore Airlines and Air India staff, approached the police. After checking the CCTV visuals, Afan Ahmed was arrested within 20 minutes of the complaint being lodged. An FIR has been filed against the accused, and the investigation is ongoing.
‘He doesn't represent the whole of India’
When asked if the incident created a bad impression of India, the woman said, “It is not the whole of India. It is just an incident. It is someone whose morals are totally wrong. He doesn’t represent the whole of India. The system is getting better, though.”
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The woman further added that there is a power imbalance in airport security checks across the world, and it has to change. “It (the power imbalance) is an airport thing, not just about India,” she said.
She also insisted that there should be a professional approach at airports, where security checks should be conducted by women officials who properly introduce themselves and explain why the checks are necessary.