JNU Students Union leader Kanhaiya Kumar on Sunday claimed that a man had attempted to strangulate him at Mumbai airport.
Also Read | I will marry a girl called Bharat Mata Ki Jai and change my name too: Kanhaiya Kumar
Kanhaiya tweeted, “Yet again, this time inside the aircraft, a man tries to strangulate me.”
Yet again, this time inside the aircraft, a man tries to strangulate me.
— Kanhaiya Kumar (@kanhaiyakumar) April 24, 2016
Kanhaiya alleged that a person, identified as Manas Deka , had attacked him. Indian Express reported that Kanhaiya’s attacker had been detained by the police at Mumbai airport after he tried to strangulate JNUSU president inside a flight.
If indeed, Manas was Kanhaiya’s attacker, it will cause embarrassment to the BJP as the same person is described as the saffron party’s office bearer. On the BJP’s website, one Manas Deka has been described as a coordinator for the party.
Kanhaiya too posed this question through one of his subsequent tweets:
Is he the same Manas Deka? Wondering? https://t.co/5bg6dpHTBp
— Kanhaiya Kumar (@kanhaiyakumar) April 24, 2016
Also Read | Shoe hurled at JNU Students’ Union leader Kanhaiya Kumar in Hyderabad
Kanhaiya complained that the Jet Airways had refused to take any action against his alleged attacker.
His tweeted read, “After the incident @jetairways staff completely refuses to take any action against the man who assaulted me. Basically @jetairways sees no difference between someone who assaults nd d person who is assaulted. They will deplane you, if you complain.(sic)”
After the incident @jetairways staff completely refuses to take any action against the man who assaulted me.
— Kanhaiya Kumar (@kanhaiyakumar) April 24, 2016
Basically @jetairways sees no difference between someone who assaults nd d person who is assaulted. They will deplane you, if you complain.
— Kanhaiya Kumar (@kanhaiyakumar) April 24, 2016
Kanhaiya was later offloaded from the plane.
The young leader said that Manas was an employee of TCS and was a strong BJP supporter, who “assaulted me inside the aircraft. Is assault the only tool you have, to fight dissent?”
After www.jantakareporter.com carried the report, Jet Airways sent us the following statement.
The statement read, “Some guests on today’s Jet Airways flight 9W Mumbai to Pune have been off loaded at Mumbai airport in the interests of operational safety. At Jet Airways, the safety and security of our guests and crew is always of prime importance.”
@JantaKaReporter jet Airways Statement: pic.twitter.com/UcoIK5Oz7l
— Jet Airways (@jetairways) April 24, 2016
Deven Bharti, Joint Commissioner of Mumbai Police told reporters that the there was no truth in Kanhaiya’s complaint.
“Whatever has been alleged by his (Kanhaiya Kumar) friend, in our inquiry we’ve found it not to be true,” Bharti was quoted by Indian Express.
He also said that Kanhaiya did not file a police complaint despite several requests by a Senior Inspector.
Manas, for his part, accused Kanhaiya of indulging in cheap publicity.
He said, “My hand just happened to brush his neck as I was trying to balance myself on an aching leg. I do not know him personally though I have seen his pictures. This is being done for cheap publicity.”
Kumar shot into limelight after he was arrested on sedition charges earlier this year for allegedly raising anti-national slogans at the Jawaharlal Nehru University campus in New Delhi. He is the president of the students union at the university.
