Coronavirus: Puri seeks protection for airline staffers being harassed by neighbours

As India's two major airlines Indigo and Air India reported harassment of their crew members by neighbours amid coronavirus pandemic, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Tuesday that he has "requested" authorities concerned to extend all possible support and protection to the crew and their family members.

Amid major disruption due to the coronavirus outbreak in the aviation sector, IndiGo had stated on Monday that there have been some instances where its employees were ostracised by their communities as a result of their "line of duty and travel history".

Air India had stated on Sunday that vigilante resident welfare associations (RWAs) and neighbours were ostracising and calling police on its crew members who went abroad as a part of their duty.

Puri on Tuesday said at Twitter, "Deeply distressed to know that some aviation professionals who have been at the forefront of India's efforts to prevent and contain the spread of coronavirus & even rescue fellow citizens from COVID-19 around the world are being harassed by their neighbours, RWAs (resident welfare associations) and others."