A 21-year-old Indian-origin man, Ishaan Sharma, was arrested following a mid-air altercation on a Frontier Airlines flight from Philadelphia to Miami on Monday night. The incident, which involved Sharma allegedly choking a fellow passenger, Keanu Evans, resulted in a violent brawl that was captured on video and shared widely on social media.

According to reports, the incident occurred on June 30. Evans stated that the altercation began without provocation when Sharma started behaving erratically and making death threats. Evans recounted Sharma's bizarre behavior, including "dark laughs" and threats like, "You puny, mortal man, if you challenge me, it will result in your death".

Evans alerted the flight crew about Sharma's behavior and was advised to press the assistance button if it continued. Moments later, Sharma allegedly confronted Evans again, grabbing him by the throat. "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 stated. "At that moment, it was fight or flight... all I could do was defend myself". Cell phone footage shows passengers and a flight attendant trying to intervene in the fight.

The scuffle resulted in injuries to both men. Sharma sustained a cut above his left eyebrow, while Evans had scratches on his face. Witnesses reported that after the fight, Sharma returned to his seat, grinning and taking selfies of his bloodied face. Upon landing at Miami International Airport, Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office deputies took Sharma into custody. He has been charged with battery and faces a USD 500 bond.

During his court appearance on Tuesday, Sharma's attorney, Renee Gordon, offered a different account of 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". However, Evans claims that the attack was unprovoked. "He grabbed me by the throat while I was walking back to my seat," Evans said.

The incident has sparked widespread attention, with the video of the brawl going viral on social media. Sharma was first taken to Jackson West Hospital for treatment before being booked into custody. A no-contact order has also been issued by the court. Frontier Airlines has yet to release a statement regarding the incident.