A violent altercation aboard a Frontier Airlines flight from Philadelphia to Miami on Monday night resulted in the arrest of a 21-year-old Indian-origin man, Ishaan Sharma, shortly after landing at Miami International Airport.
Sharma, a New Jersey resident, was taken into custody and charged with battery following a mid-air fight with fellow passenger Keanu Evans. Mobile phone footage captured during the incident shows the two men exchanging punches as cabin crew and passengers struggled to intervene.
In the background of the footage, voices can be heard urging, &ldquo;Let him go. Stop, let him go,&rdquo; while a flight attendant calmly instructs, &ldquo;Sir, you have to sit down,&rdquo; as the confrontation escalates.
Keanu Evans, speaking after the incident, described the attack as entirely unprovoked. According to him, Sharma had been acting erratically and began issuing disturbing threats. &ldquo;He was laughing in a strange, sinister way and saying things like, &lsquo;You puny, mortal man, if you challenge me, it will result in your death,&rsquo;&rdquo; Evans recounted.
Evans claimed he initially informed the crew about Sharma&rsquo;s behaviour and was advised to press the assistance button if the issue persisted. Minutes later, Sharma allegedly confronted him again. &ldquo;He stood up, put his forehead against mine like he was trying to provoke a fight, and then suddenly grabbed my throat and began choking me,&rdquo; Evans said. &ldquo;At that point, it was either fight or flight&mdash;I had no choice but to defend myself.&rdquo;
The physical struggle left Sharma with a visible cut above his left eyebrow, while Evans sustained minor scratches. Witnesses on board stated that after the incident, Sharma appeared unfazed, returned to his seat grinning, and even took selfies of his bloodied face before being escorted off the aircraft in handcuffs.
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Upon landing, Sharma was first taken to Jackson West Hospital for treatment and later transferred into police custody. During his court appearance on Tuesday, his attorney, Renee Gordon, suggested the confrontation stemmed from a misunderstanding while Sharma was meditating. &ldquo;My client follows a religion that involves meditation. Unfortunately, the passenger behind him took issue with that,&rdquo; she explained.
However, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Gerald Hubbart appeared unconvinced by the argument, setting Sharma&rsquo;s bond at $500 and issuing a stay-away order, prohibiting any contact with Evans or proximity to his residence, school, or workplace.
Evans later reflected on the ordeal, expressing concern over public perception. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t want people to misunderstand who I am. I recently got baptised&mdash;I&rsquo;m a good person,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Looking back, I just wish I had been more assertive in asking the crew to move me away from him.&rdquo;
As of now, Frontier Airlines has not issued a formal statement regarding the incident.

Injured Ishaan Sharma after brawl with co-passenger

Indian-origin man detained after violent mid-air altercation on flight to Miami

Airborne brawl: Man arrested on Frontier Airlines

Indian-origin man detained after violent mid-air altercation on flight to Miami

July 4, 2025 | 14:34 IST