Indian Man Arrested For Allegedly Raping Woman On Flight To Australia

An Indian national, Sudhir Kumar Chahuan, has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a female passenger on a flight to Australia. As reported by Australian media, the incident occurred on a Scoot Airlines flight TR16 travelling from Singapore to Perth, where the female passenger was seated next to him.

Victim Alerted Crew; Accused Detained After Landing In Perth

“The female passenger sought help from airline staff and was subsequently moved to another seat,” an AFP spokesperson said.

According to police, following the incident, airline staff monitored the man for the remainder of the journey after alerting the authorities. After the plane landed at Perth Airport, officers boarded the aircraft, detained the man, and escorted him to an interview room.

As per The West Australian, Mr Chahuan appeared in court before being remanded to police custody on Tuesday. He has been charged with four offences, with the sexual penetration without consent charge carrying a maximum penalty of 12 years’ imprisonment.

“Every passenger has the right to feel safe when travelling, especially when confined in an aircraft close to other passengers,” AFP Acting Superintendent Peter Brindal said.

“Anyone subjected to (alleged) unwanted contact is encouraged to alert the authorities, be it airline staff, the AFP, or airport security, as soon as it is safely possible to do so. No act of indecency on an aircraft or at an airport is appropriate, and any travellers who break the law will be dealt with swiftly,” she added.