Man accused of groping sleeping passenger

A WOMAN on a flight from LA to New Jersey has said she woke up to find the man next to her “massaging her genitalia” and rubbing her feet.

The man was arrested when the Virgin America flight landed in New Jersey. Picture: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images/AFP

A MAN who allegedly touched the privates of a female passenger while she was asleep on a plane has been charged with abusive sexual conduct.

Veerabhadrarao Kunam, 58, of Visakhapatnam, India, is accused of massaging the woman’s privates who was sitting next to him on a Virgin America flight from Los Angeles to New Jersey in the US on July 29, The Sun reports.

According to prosecutors he allegedly touched her bottom and vagina while she was asleep on the overnight flight.

Lawyer Paul Fishman said Kunam was arrested on July 30 when the flight arrived. He was released on $50,000 ($AU66,000) bond after he appeared in court in Newark, New Jersey.

The woman was sleeping in the middle seat, and Kunam was in an aisle seat next to her.

The complaint states she woke up to find his hand massaging her buttocks and vagina area. He was also rubbing his feet, which were bare, against hers.

The incident happened after the flight took off from Los Angeles Airport.

The woman, who was travelling with a male companion, swapped seats, and Kunam allegedly asked to buy the man a drink and said he wanted everyone to forget what happened, prosecutors said.

A member of the flight crew then moved Kunam to another seat, and Kunam allegedly said he would not touch the victim again, the complaint said.

Virgin America spokesman Dave Arnold said in a statement the crew were alerted to “reports of a disruptive individual” who had been accused of inappropriate touching.

Law enforcement were notified by the flight crew who were waiting when the plane landed. The charge carries a $250,000 ($AU330,000) fine as well as a maximum two-year prison sentence.

The spokesman added flight crew moved the person and notified law enforcement who were waiting when the plane landed.

This article originally appeared in The Sun and was reproduced with permission.