Spotlight: India orders probe into on-flight molestation of teen Bollywood actress

NEW DELHI, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Indian authorities Sunday ordered a probe into the alleged molestation of a teen Bollywood actress, best known for her role in blockbuster sports drama film Dangal, on board a flight from Delhi to Mumbai.

Zaira Wasim, the 17-year-old actress whose acclaimed young portrayal of Indian wrestler Geeta Phogat in Aamir Khan-starrer Dangal movie won her national award, took to social media late Saturday night to narrate her ordeal on board private airline Vistara's flight.

In the video post, she alleged that a male co-passenger rubbed his foot on her neck and back while sitting behind her on the flight.

"The lights were dimmed, so it was even worse. It continued for another five to 10 minutes and then I was sure of it. He kept nudging my shoulder and continued to move his foot up and down my back and neck," she said in the video posted soon after she got down from the flight.

In the same post, the actress also accused the airline crew of not acting against the accused middle-aged man, despite being apprised of her ordeal while the flight was on a descent.

As the post of the actress in tears went viral Sunday morning, India's Civil Aviation Ministry and regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation sought details from Vistara over the incident.

The National Commission for Women took suo motu cognisance of the matter and served a notice to Vistara, while the Mumbai Police lodged a case against the accused co-passenger.

"I am really horrified the way this incident happened and after that the crew didn't help this girl. Vistara hasn't sensitised their crew to take action against men torturing women on flight," National Commission for Women's chairperson Rekha Sharma told the media.

Sharma also came down heavily on Vistara for failing to make the name of the male passenger public, despite a hue and cry about the incident. "Why they have not named this person till now? Naming them is very very important," she said.

Meanwhile, a senior police official said a case has been registered in Mumbai against the unnamed accused.

Facing flak, Vistara apologized to the actress for what she experienced on its flight and said that it has "zero tolerance" for such behavior, assuring her of a detailed investigation into the allegations.

"We are carrying out a detailed investigation of the incident which apparently involved a male passenger on the flight. We are talking to our crew who were serving Wasim to understand the incident at greater length, and reaching out to fellow passengers," it said in a statement.

Wasim made her acting debut in Dangal in 2016. Her performance won her the National Film Award for the best supporting actress. Enditem