Video Producer: Aparna Singh
Video Editors: Mohd Irshad Alam, Abhishek Sharma
After a two-day manhunt spanning Mumbai and Bengaluru, the Delhi Police arrested the man who is accused of peeing on a woman co-passenger during an Air India flight from New York to Delhi in November last year.
In order to nab the accused, who was on the run, investigators issued a lookout notice, assembled teams, and reportedly tracked his physical as well online activities.
So, what do we really know about Shankar Mishra – the man accused of not just an uncivil act but a criminal offence?
The story so far: On a flight from New York to Delhi, an inebriated Mishra allegedly unzipped his trousers and urinated on another passenger, who's in her 70s.
He allegedly didn't move after urinating and had to be asked to leave by a co-passenger.
The woman approached the crew, complaining that her clothes, shoes, and bag were soaked.
The crew reportedly provided her with a fresh set of clothes and slippers, and asked her to return to her seat.
Mishra left the airport as soon as the flight landed in Delhi, according to the Times of India.
Educational and Professional Background
In its FIR, the Delhi Police identified the 34-year-old accused as Shankar Mishra. However, according to multiple reports, he also goes by Suraj. Mishra has lived in Mumbai's Kamgar Nagar for the past two decades, The Indian Express reported.
Mishra reportedly went to a private university in the same city called Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS), which was established in 1981 and is affiliated with the University of Mumbai.
After graduation, Mishra worked at Citi Bank, one of the largest banks in the world, for over 10 years, India Today reported. In February 2021, the accused joined Wells Fargo as vice president of its operations in India, the report added.
He was sacked on 6 January by the American financial services company, headquartered in California, for his misconduct in a public place. "We are cooperating with law enforcement and ask that any additional inquiries be directed to them," the company said in a statement.
Mishra's Online Alias
Shankar Mishra and 'Suraj M' could be the same person, an analysis of social media profiles by India Today revealed. Providing screenshots as proof, the report claimed that the professional experience and educational qualifications of a LinkedIn premium account with the username 'Suraj M' matched up with those of Shankar Mishra.
After digging through Suraj M's LinkedIn profile, the report claimed to have found a post titled “a day in life” of “Shankar Mishra, Senior Analyst, (ICG Risk GIRM Mumbai COE)."
Mishra's portfolio on RocketReach, which provides paid access to its database of 700 million professionals, also shares similarities with Suraj M's LinkedIn profile, the report claimed.
Meanwhile, Air India CEO Wilson Campbell issued a statement on Saturday indicating that the four cabin crew and pilot have been issued show cause notices and de-rostered, and that the airline is reviewing its alcohol policy.
"Air India acknowledges that it could have handled these matters better, both in the air and on the ground and is committed to taking action," the statement read.
(With inputs from The Indian Express, India Today, and Times of India.)
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