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Kanhaiya Kumar Says His Co-Passenger, A BJP Supporter, Tried To Strangle Him Inside Flight

Kanhaiya Kumar Says His Co-Passenger, A BJP Supporter, Tried To Strangle Him Inside Flight
Student leader of India's Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU)Kanhaiya Kumar speaks to the media at Hyderabad Central University in Hyderabad on March 23, 2016.Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU)Delhi student leader Kanhaiya Kumar, who is on bail on sedition charges, arrived in Hyderabad to join protesting Hyderabad University students who are demanding that their vice-chancellor resign. / AFP / NOAH SEELAM (Photo credit should read NOAH SEELAM/AFP/Getty Images)
NOAH SEELAM via Getty Images
Student leader of India's Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU)Kanhaiya Kumar speaks to the media at Hyderabad Central University in Hyderabad on March 23, 2016.Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU)Delhi student leader Kanhaiya Kumar, who is on bail on sedition charges, arrived in Hyderabad to join protesting Hyderabad University students who are demanding that their vice-chancellor resign. / AFP / NOAH SEELAM (Photo credit should read NOAH SEELAM/AFP/Getty Images)

JNU students' union president Kanhaiya Kumar claimed that a BJP supporter tried to strangle him on a Jet Airways flight.

Kanhaiya tweeted this morning that a co-passenger allegedly tried to attack him on a flight from Mumbai to Pune.

Yet again, this time inside the aircraft, a man tries to strangulate me.

— Kanhaiya Kumar (@kanhaiyajnusu) April 24, 2016

Manas Deka, works in TCS, a strong BJP supporter assaulted me inside the aircraft. Is assault the only tool you have, to fight dissent?

— Kanhaiya Kumar (@kanhaiyajnusu) April 24, 2016

According to PTI reports, Mumbai police detained the man, who was later identified as Manas Jyoti Deka.

"A person has been detained for allegedly attacking Kanahiya onboard a Pune-bound flight. The matter is being probed further," a senior police official told PTI.

The man's attempt to attack Kanhaiya was evaded by his colleagues who were on the same flight, according to All India Students' Federation national president Syed Waliullah Kadri.

"Kanhaiya, I and two others from JNU had boarded the flight from Mumbai. This man suddenly got up and tried to attack Kanhaiya," Kadri claimed.

Following the ruckus, the four approached Mumbai Airport authorities to file a complaint in this regard.

After the incident, Kanhaiya was deplaned by Jet Airways, forcing him to take the road route to Pune.

After the incident @jetairways staff completely refuses to take any action against the man who assaulted me.

— Kanhaiya Kumar (@kanhaiyajnusu) April 24, 2016

Hitting out at the airline further, Kanhaiya also said that it sees no difference between "someone who assaults and one who is assaulted".

Basically @jetairways sees no difference between someone who assaults nd d person who is assaulted. They will deplane you, if you complain.

— Kanhaiya Kumar (@kanhaiyajnusu) April 24, 2016

The Jet Airways, later said some passengers on Mumbai to Pune flight were off loaded at Mumbai airport in interest of operational safety.

"Some guests on board Jet Airways fight 9W618 from Mumbai to Pune have been off loaded at Mumbai airport in the interest of operational safety. At Jet Airways, the safety and security of our guests and crew is always of prime importance," the spokesman said.

Attacks on Kanhaiya had started since his arrest in February on sedition charges for organising an event at Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University to mark the anniversary of the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.

He, along with a group of teachers from JNU, students and reporters, were attacked by a group of lawyers inside the premises of a Delhi court.

Earlier this month, when the JNU student was addressing a public meeting on the occasion of 125th birth anniversary of BR Ambedkar, shoes were hurled at him.

(With inputs from PTI)

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.