Australia books Indian national for alleged sexual assault of woman seated next to him on flight

Published
1
File photo shows an aircraft on a runway. — AFP/File
File photo shows an aircraft on a runway. — AFP/File

An Indian national was charged with the alleged sexual assault of a woman on a Perth-bound flight, Australian media reported on Wednesday.

The 52-year-old man, according to the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the Western Australia Police, committed “non-consensual sexual acts” on a woman seated next to him on the flight on Monday, which was headed from Singapore to Perth, News.com.au reported.

According to the Australian Federal Police, the woman was moved to another seat after she complained to staff. At the same time, the suspect was monitored throughout the flight, the report said, adding that the staff also alerted the police.

The suspect was escorted off the plane upon landing at the Perth Airport. The 52-year-old man was charged with “one count of sexual intercourse without consent and three counts of an act of indecency without consent”, News.com.au reported.

The suspect has been remanded in custody ahead of a court appearance on Friday, the report said, adding that the incident was being investigated jointly with the AFP and Western Australia Police.

As per the report, AFP Acting Superintendent Peter Brindal said, “The federal police have zero tolerance for criminal behaviour on planes or within Australian airports”.

“Every passenger has the right to feel safe when travelling, especially when confined in an aircraft close to other passengers,” Brindal was quoted as saying.

“Anyone subjected to 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,” the police officer asserted.

In October 2025, an Indian national was arrested and charged with an assault on a flight travelling from Chicago to Germany, for stabbing two teenagers with a metal fork.

Opinion

Editorial

Kashmir unresolved
Updated 30 Sep, 2026

Kashmir unresolved

The just solution lies in India addressing the issue through a trilateral dialogue involving the legitimate representatives of the Kashmiri people and Pakistan.
Water shortage
30 Sep, 2026

Water shortage

THAT the country is entering the Rabi season with an anticipated water shortage of nearly 25pc, the lowest carryover...
Young hearts
30 Sep, 2026

Young hearts

THE observance may have passed, but the message of World Heart Day should not fade with it. The occasion is a useful...
Terror and politics
Updated 29 Sep, 2026

Terror and politics

There is an urgent need to tone down the rhetoric and tackle terrorism as a collective challenge for both the affected provinces and the federation.
Watching the glaciers
29 Sep, 2026

Watching the glaciers

THE latest signs from Pakistan’s mountains are worrying. Suparco says the number of unfrozen glacial lakes it...
Dangerous agenda
29 Sep, 2026

Dangerous agenda

AS the world remains fixated on the US-Iran conflict, elsewhere in the Middle East, Israel is consolidating its grip...