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regular-article-logo Friday, 04 July 2025

‘He choked me…’: Indian-origin flyer grabs co-passenger’s neck, lets out ‘dark laugh’

A Frontier Airlines flight turned chaotic when 21-year-old Ishaan Sharma allegedly choked a fellow traveller mid-air, prompting his arrest upon landing in Miami

Our Web Desk Published 04.07.25, 10:48 AM

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An Indian origin man has been arrested after allegedly attacking a fellow passenger on a Frontier Airlines flight from Philadelphia to Miami on June 30.

The 21-year-old, identified as Ishaan Sharma, is a New Jersey resident and was taken into custody after landing. He has reportedly been charged with battery.

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A video of the incident, which has since gone viral, shows Sharma and another passenger, Keanu Evans, involved in a violent struggle. The footage shows the two grabbing at each other’s necks while alarmed fellow passengers urge them to stop.

According to reports, Evans told the police that the attack was unprovoked and began when Sharma “approached him and grabbed his neck while returning to his assigned seat.”

“He was doing some, like, dark laugh like, 'Ha ha ha ha ha.' And he was saying things like, 'You puny, mortal man, if you challenge me, it will result in your death',” Evans, who was seated one row ahead of Sharma, told 7News.

Evans recounted that he initially informed flight attendants about Sharma’s disturbing behaviour after stepping out to use the restroom. He was advised to press the assistance button if Sharma continued making threats. Evans said he did just that when the threats escalated.

“You know, he's looking at me very angrily and we're looking eye to eye, forehead to forehead, and then he just grabs me by the throat and just starts choking me. At that moment, it was, you know, fight or flight responses kick in. I'm in a tight, confined space on an aircraft, and all I can do is just defend myself,” Evans said.

Footage shared online appears to show the altercation turning physical, with Sharma allegedly initiating the attack. Evans is then seen retaliating, punching Sharma repeatedly as other passengers try to de-escalate the situation.

“Let him go! Stop, let him go,” several passengers can be heard shouting.

Mugshot images later showed Sharma with visible injuries, including a black eye and a cut above his left eyebrow. Evans also sustained minor facial scratches but said he regretted that the confrontation had turned violent.

During a court appearance on Tuesday, Sharma’s lawyer claimed the incident stemmed from a misunderstanding. “My client is from a religion where he was meditating. Unfortunately, the passenger behind him did not like that,” the attorney was quoted as saying.

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