Mumbai: Soon after Dangal actor Zaira Wasim posted videos on Instagram revealing about the alleged molestation, the Mumbai Police has begun its investigation into the case. Cops have recorded Wasim’s statement in Mumbai, where she landed after her harrowing flight during which, she alleges, a male passenger rubbed his foot along her neck and back, said media reports.
One of Instagram videos, which the actor posted, was shot during the flight, during which the man’s foot can be seen next to Zaira, and the other at the Mumbai airport in which the teary-eyed teen actor asks, “Who is going to help us Girls? If we don’t help ourselves, nobody will come ahead.”
Cops from the Mumbai Police have spoken to the actress, recorded her statement and have prepared a list of passengers sitting next to Zaira on the Vistara Delhi-Mumbai flight during which the alleged incident took place. The airline has provided details of the man in the question and policemen intend to question him, as well as other passengers, soon, sources within the force said. Statements of the crew members on the flight too will be recorded.
One of the most intriguing questions arising from the shocking story is why the cabin crew, usually trained to handle inappropriate passenger behaviour, did not react.
Zaira’s manager Tuhin Mishra earlier said the teen actor had raised an alarm but the cabin crew failed to take any action. Sources within Vistara, while admitting the cabin crew did not act until much later said it was because Zaira raised the alarm only after the flight started descending.
According to protocol, everybody, including passengers and flight crew, must remain strapped to their seats while a flight is landing. Zaira, in her story, did not specify when exactly the male passenger seated behind her began touching her with his foot and rubbing it on her neck and back.
Soon after the Zaira’s Instagram posts narrating the ordeal, Visatra released a statement saying it was “aware” of incident and was carrying out “a detailed investigation”.
Once the flight landed, the crew was told about what had happened with Zaira. The crew asked the teen actor and her mother whether they wanted to file a complaint, but they, the sources said, “denied”.
Vistara is yet to contact the male passenger whom Zaira accused of molesting her but has summoned the entire cabin crew for an inquiry, the sources further added.
The last part of the Vistara sources’ version, that Zaira and her mother did not want to file a complaint, was denied by the actor’s manager Tuhin Mishra even as Mumbai Police, which has taken cognizance of the matter, reached her hotel to record her statement.
