Russian man held at Delhi airport for masturbating while sitting next to Indian woman

A Russian man was apprehended at the Delhi airport today after an Indian woman alleged that he had masturbated sitting beside her on board a flight from Istanbul, officials said. The security control room at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport was informed in the early hours today that there was an "unruly passenger" on board a Turkish airline flight approaching Delhi.

Personnel of the CISF, which guards the airport, reached the flight (TK-716) upon landing and were informed that the Indian woman had, in the meantime, made a distress call to the Delhi Police alleging sexual harassment by a co-passenger.

"It was learnt that the male passenger, a Russian, was sitting next to the woman in the flight and allegedly unzipped his trouser and started masturbating in front of her," a senior official said.

When the woman complained to the cabin crew, the male passenger was shifted to another seat, he said.

The man was later handed over to the Delhi Police, which also reached the Terminal-III area of the airport. He has been booked under Section 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the IPC, police said.