A recent Frontier Airlines flight from Philadelphia to Miami descended into chaos when an Indian-origin man allegedly choked a fellow passenger mid-flight. The incident, which occurred on June 30th, led to the arrest of 21-year-old Ishaan Sharma upon landing at Miami International Airport. Sharma, a resident of Newark, New Jersey, has been charged with battery.
A video of the altercation has gone viral, showing Sharma and another passenger, Keanu Evans, grappling and grabbing each other's necks while other passengers and a flight attendant try to intervene. Passengers can be heard pleading for them to stop. Evans stated that the attack was unprovoked. He claims that Sharma approached him and grabbed his neck as he was returning to his seat.
Evans recounted the unsettling encounter to 7News, stating that Sharma was "doing some, like, dark laugh like, 'Ha ha ha ha ha.' And he was saying things like, 'You puny, mortal man, if you challenge me, it will result in your death'". Concerned, Evans alerted the flight attendants after returning from the restroom and was advised to press the assistance button if Sharma's behavior continued.
According to Evans, Sharma confronted him again shortly after. "He just got up, put his forehead on mine like he was challenging me, and then grabbed me by the throat and started choking me," Evans said. He added, "At that moment, it was fight or flight... all I could do was defend myself".
The mid-air scuffle resulted in minor injuries to both men. Sharma sustained a cut above his left eyebrow, while Evans had scratches on his face. Witnesses reported that Sharma was grinning and taking selfies of his bloodied face before being escorted off the plane by authorities. He was taken to Jackson West Hospital for treatment before being booked into custody.
During Sharma's court appearance on Tuesday, his attorney, Renee Gordon, offered a different perspective on the events. She claimed that the incident began because Sharma was meditating. "My client is from a religion where he was meditating," Gordon said. "Unfortunately, the passenger behind him did not like that".
The incident has sparked discussions about passenger safety, mental health, and airline security. Frontier Airlines has not yet released an official statement regarding the incident. Sharma's bond is set at $500.
