A specially-abled boy was disallowed from boarding an IndiGo flight at Ranchi airport on Saturday.
India's aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation has formed a three-member team to conduct a "fact-finding enquiry" into IndiGo barring a specially-abled child from boarding a flight from Ranchi to Hyderabad as he was in a "state of panic", officials said on Monday.
The DGCA said in a statement, "They will visit Ranchi and Hyderabad (place of stay of the family concerned) and collect appropriate evidence within one week from today. Based on the outcome of the said enquiry, further action shall entail."
The regulator said it has received a report from IndiGo regarding Saturday's incident. However, in view of the facts and circumstances described therein, the regulator has decided to conduct a fact-finding enquiry, which shall be done by its three-member team, it mentioned.
As the boy was prohibited from boarding the airline's Ranchi-Hyderabad flight on Saturday, his parents — who were with him — also decided to not enter the plane.
The incident was shared widely on social media. Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia took note of the incident on Twitter.
He said in a tweet, "There is zero tolerance towards such behaviour. No human being should have to go through this! Investigating the matter by myself, post which appropriate action will be taken."
As per the account of the incident, first shared in a LinkedIn post, the child had been given food and medicines by his parents. Several co-passengers, including a delegation of doctors travelling in the same flight, supported the child's case and asked the airline's staff to cite relevant rules to prevent him from flying, as per the account shared on the internet.
(With PTI inputs)