A 37-year-old Singaporean businessman claims he was assaulted by IAF personnel at IDAX 2024 in Sulur, Coimbatore, after being accused of trespassing. The incident occurred on Wednesday, leading to conflicting reports and a police complaint.
Coimbatore: A Singaporean national attending the International Defence Aviation Exposition (IDAX) 2024 at Air Force Station, Sulur, has alleged assault by Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel following accusations of trespassing on Wednesday.
The 37-year-old businessman from Singapore claims he was roughed up by IAF personnel who accused him of entering the campus without proper clearances. Following the incident, the man sought medical treatment at a hospital.
According to police reports, the businessman had attended IDAX after undergoing mandatory screening at the main gate and was granted entry. He had applied to participate in the expo and visited several stalls on the campus.
A police officer stated, "He had an argument with IAF personnel during the expo over security clearances, and they checked his credentials. As he is a foreigner, the officers became suspicious of his presence at the defence expo and removed him from the premises."
The Singaporean national questioned why he was not stopped at the main gate if he lacked the necessary security clearances and was later accused of trespassing.
In response to the incident, the Sulur police have received a complaint from the Air Force Station seeking action against the Singaporean national for alleged trespassing.
The IDAX was held on the sidelines of Tarang Shakti, a multilateral air exercise hosted by the IAF, with Phase I conducted at Sulur from August 6 to 14.