French journo held for smoking in Chennai airport

Chennai: A journalist with the French daily 'Le Monde' was detained after being allegedly roughed up by CISF personnel at the city airport for lighting a cigarette inside the premises in the wee hours of Wednesday. Airport sources said the incident occurred when Serrguey Ugin, along with his journalist wife Flora, had completed formalities and were waiting to board a Lufthansa flight to Paris at around 1:30 am.
"Just before boarding I wanted to smoke and lit a cigarette. But suddenly this officer came and slapped me. Some others roughed me up and hit me on my legs," Ugin alleged.
The journalist claimed that there was no indication or notice regarding a ban on smoking inside the airport. CISF sources claimed it was Ugin who "assaulted" personnel on duty and not the other way around.
Ugin and his wife were later left with the airport duty manager. Ugin claimed that their passports have been withheld by CISF officials and said he hoped to be able to leave the city by tomorrow's flight.
30/08/06 Press Trust of India/Hindustan Times

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