Sharing an incident that happened with me in the flight from Calcutta to Abu Dhabi (transit to Boston).
— Ananya Chhaochharia (She/her) (@ananyac05) July 18, 2024
I am very grateful to the staff of @__Etiihad and the Abu Dhabi police for the support they provided me.
TW: Sexual Assault
I was seated next to an industrialist (Dinesh Kr. Saraogi, CEO of Jindal Steel)
— Ananya Chhaochharia (She/her) (@ananyac05) July 18, 2024
He must be roughly 65 in age & told me he now lives in Oman but travels frequently. He started chatting me up - very normal conversation about our roots, family etc
He is from Churu in Rajasthan...
& both sons are married & settled in the US etc.
— Ananya Chhaochharia (She/her) (@ananyac05) July 18, 2024
The conversation moved to what my hobbies are. He asked if I enjoy watching movies & I was like of course. He then proceeds to tell me he has some movie clips on his phone.
He whips out his phone and earphones to show me PORN!
He started groping me. I was frozen in shock and scare.
— Ananya Chhaochharia (She/her) (@ananyac05) July 18, 2024
I eventually ran off to the washroom and complained to the air staff. Thankfully the Etihad team was very pro-active and took action immediately. They made me sit at their seating area and served me tea & fruits.
He kept calling them to ask where I had gone. The staff also informed the cops at Abu Dhabi who were waiting as soon the gates of the aircraft opened.
— Ananya Chhaochharia (She/her) (@ananyac05) July 18, 2024
I could not proceed with a complaint because I would have missed my connecting flight to Boston.
I was escorted to the next gate to ensure he does not come near me. He also did not deny this when the cops asked him questions.
— Ananya Chhaochharia (She/her) (@ananyac05) July 18, 2024
I am sharing this because I want to remind everyone that something like this can happen to anyone.
I am working to get this incident out to the founder of Jindal Steel @MPNaveenJindal so that he is aware of the kind of people who are in leadership. I am also afraid of how this molestor must be treating his female employees from a place of power.
— Ananya Chhaochharia (She/her) (@ananyac05) July 18, 2024
P.S I am fine, a little rattled and disturbed. I feel violated but I also want to make sure this never happens to another woman.
— Ananya Chhaochharia (She/her) (@ananyac05) July 18, 2024
Thank you @etihad (I seemed to have tagged your wrong account).
— Ananya Chhaochharia (She/her) (@ananyac05) July 19, 2024
I am forever grateful to your 2 crew members on flight EY 257 on 16th July from CCU to AUH, who shielded me and stood by through this ordeal.
Dear Ananya, thank you for reaching out and speaking up! It takes a lot of courage to do what you did and I want you to know that we have a zero tolerance policy for such matters. I have asked the team to immediately investigate the matter and thereafter strictest and necessary…
— Naveen Jindal (@MPNaveenJindal) July 19, 2024