"I was freaked out."
A South Korean tourist was allegedly molested by an airport staff member in Bengaluru.
Kim Sung Kyung stated that her ordeal should not be seen as a reflection of India’s safety, even though she flagged the “power imbalance” at airports as a serious concern.
In an interview with India Today, Kim claimed she was molested at Kempegowda International Airport after visiting Bengaluru to meet a friend.
After completing immigration formalities, airport staff member Muhammad Affan approached her and requested to check her luggage, claiming a “beeping” sound came from it during security clearance.
Kim said: “He said my check-in luggage was making some beeping sound during check.
“It made me worried that I may be in a terror situation or something serious. So, I was willing to go for a personal security check.”
Kim explained she complied because the staffer appeared authoritative and professional, leading her to believe the request was legitimate.
She continued: “He spoke in a professional and accusing tone, which made me think it was an emergency.”
According to Kim, Affan then escorted her to a men’s washroom.
Under the pretext of a security check, he allegedly groped her.
Kim said Affan allegedly touched her chest and private parts repeatedly and hugged her from behind during the assault.
She said: “I knew it was totally wrong, but I remained calm to escape the situation safely and stepped right away.”
After the assault, Affan reportedly hugged her and said “thank you”.
Kim added: “I was freaked out.”
She immediately got away from him and reported the incident to police, following help from airline and airport personnel.
Kim said: “The Singapore Airlines staff helped me and guided me to the police station. The airport security personnel were also supportive.”
Despite the trauma, Kim said the experience did not leave her with a negative view of India as a whole.
“He does not represent the whole country. India is safe enough.”
However, she stressed that the incident highlighted deeper concerns about authority and accountability in high-security areas.
“It is a one-off incident, but there’s a power imbalance at airports. Airports need to be safer for women, with a clear and proper process for checks.”
Police soon arrested Affan under section 75 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with sexual harassment.
Affan worked for Air India SATS.
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