Air travellers stranded at M'lore Airport too as pilots' strike enters eighth day

[email protected] (CD Network)
May 15, 2012

air
Mangalore, May 15: Many passengers were stranded in Mangalore Airport too for several hours as Air India cancelled 20 international and domestic flights on Tuesday.

Sources from Mangalore office of Air India said that Mangalore-Doha-Bahrain flights have been revised following the strike.

As per the new schedule IX 819 Mangalore-Doha-Bahrain flight will take off from Mangalore on Wednesday, May 16, at 8:30 am, but will continue its journey to Bahrain after reaching Doha. The same flight on Friday will fly directly to Bahrain from Mangalore.

Meanwhile, IX 389 Mangalore - Kuwait flight, which was supposed to take off at 5:45 pm on Tuesday, May 15, also cancelled.

Air India Express flights, which were affected, also include Thiruvanthapuram-Dubai, Madurai-Mumbai and Calicut-Kuwait.

Among the 20 cancelled flights there are five flights from Mumbai. From Delhi, flights to Amritsar, Hong Kong, Jeddah, Paris and Frankfurt were cancelled.

As the stir by over 200 Air India pilots entered the eighth day on Tuesday leading to cancellation of 10 international flights, the Government said the DGCA will take action against those who have falsely reported sick and not joined work.

“We have, as part of our contingency plan, operated Delhi-Toronto, Delhi-New York routes, and hope to operate more flights tonight,” an Air India spokesperson said.

With a medical summary issued by the Aviation Ministry stating that most of the AI pilots, who called in sick, were neither found at home by doctors sent by the airline nor reported to doctors empanelled by the carrier, the Civil Aviation Minister, Mr Ajit Singh, said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will take action against them.

“I and you don't need any medical teams to ascertain they are sick. If they have reported sick but were found fit or not found at their houses as reported in the Aviation Ministry's medical summary, then the DGCA will take necessary action against them,” Mr Singh told reporters.

The pilots have been calling in sick and not reporting for duty in protest against rescheduling of training programme of Dreamliner and issues related to their career progression.

According to the medical summary, about 48 out of the 53 Delhi-based pilots who reported sick were not found at home. Their residences were found locked and their mobiles unreachable.

Nine out of 18 outstation pilots, who were staying at Hotel Hyatt, complained of bad stomach and backache but doctors found them medically fit.

Of the 53 homes visited by doctors, 12 were found locked. When doors were opened, the medical teams were given unclear information.

The Minister said the pilots have the right to go on strike, as employees may have some grievances. “They should have discussed with us, why have they chosen to go on a strike during the peak vacation season.”

Meanwhile, seven Air India unions in a letter to Mr Singh have sought an end to the standoff between pilots and the management.

Seeking Mr Singh's intervention, the AI unions of engineers, cabin crew, commercial staff, and ground staff have blamed the merger for the ongoing crises.


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News Network
September 19,2024

Muniratna.jpg

Ramanagara, Sep 19: A case of rape, sexual harassment and criminal intimidation has been registered against BJP MLA Munirathna and six others, police said on Thursday.

It was registered following the complaint of a 40-year-old woman who alleged that the incident took place at a private resort within the Kaggalipura police station’s jurisdiction.

“We received a complaint on Wednesday night and based on it, we have registered case against seven people, including the BJP MLA under various sections for rape by public servant, sexual harassment, criminal intimidation, criminal conspiracy, voyeurism, intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace, Information Technology Act, and others,” a senior police officer said.

The matter is being investigated, he said.

The fresh FIR against the BJP MLA, also a former Minister, comes days after he was arrested by the Bengaluru Police in connection with the two cases filed against him for alleged harassment, threats and casteist abuse, police said.

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September 20,2024

Udupi: A vigilant Railway Protection Force (RPF) constable, Aparna K T, demonstrated remarkable presence of mind when she rescued a student who slipped while trying to board a moving train at Udupi Railway Station on Friday morning.

The incident occurred as passenger train number 06602 arrived at the station around 7:30 AM. The student, traveling from Mangaluru to Gokarna, had briefly alighted to purchase snacks. However, as the train began moving, she hurried back towards the carriage with the snacks in hand. In her rush, she lost her footing, slipping dangerously between the platform and the moving train.

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Woman constable Aparna K T was given a cash reward of Rs 5000.

 

Constable Aparna, who had been closely monitoring the passengers, immediately sprang into action. “I saw her running towards the train and alerted everyone by blowing my whistle. She slipped, and her legs were caught between the platform and the train. Without hesitation, I pulled her out with the help of others nearby,” she recalled.

Thanks to Aparna’s quick thinking and the swift response of the railway staff, the train was stopped in time. Railway personnel, including the guard and loco pilot, were immediately informed, and they acted promptly to halt the train using both flag signals and a walkie-talkie.

RPF Inspector Madhusoodhanan PV arrived at the scene shortly after to check on the passenger's condition. The shaken but uninjured student was given water and helped back onto the train to safely continue her journey.

In an added measure of care, the RPF post at Bhatkal was notified to follow up on the passenger’s well-being during her journey. The student, fortunately, reached her destination without further incident.

The heroic rescue was captured on CCTV and has since gone viral on social media, earning widespread praise. In recognition of her bravery, Regional Railway Manager (RRM) Karwar awarded Constable Aparna a cash reward of ₹5,000, commending her quick action that averted a potentially tragic accident.

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News Network
September 17,2024

Kalaburagi: Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Tuesday said that alleged role of "outsiders" belonging to the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) in the violence at Nagamangala will be examined and action taken based on the probe report.

Clashes broke out between two groups during a Ganesh idol procession in the town in Mandya district following which mobs went on a rampage targeting several shops and vehicles leading to tension on September 11 night.

"Everything will be examined, investigation will be done, on getting the report we will decide. We will not protect anyone, and unnecessarily no one will be punished. We will look into the facts based on the inquiry report and take action accordingly," Parameshwara told reporters here.

He noted that two officials -- Deputy Superintendent of Police and Inspector -- have already been suspended, and added that further action will be taken based on the report.

The Minister said the government has taken the Nagamangala violence seriously and there is no question of taking such incidents lightly. "BJP makes such allegations, but we too have responsibility, we don't take anything lightly."

On allegations that "outsiders" were involved in the violence, Parameshwara said if inquiry reveals complicity of such elements, it would be examined and action taken accordingly.

Regarding claims that those belonging to the banned PFI were involved, he said: "It will be known from the probe."

On demand for a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into Nagamangala violence by BJP which alleged "failure" of state's home department, Parameshwara said: "they keep saying such things, we will not listen to all that."

According to police, an argument had broken out between two groups, when the procession by devotees from Badri Koppalu village reached a place of worship on September 11, and some miscreants hurled stones, which escalated the situation.

Following the clashes between the two groups, a few shops were vandalised and goods torched and vehicles set on fire, they added.

To allegations from some BJP leaders that the party MLA Munirathna was arrested "hurriedly", Parameshwara said, police acted after the complaint was given, "what's wrong in that?"

Munirathna, who represents Rajarajeshwari Nagar Assembly segment here, was picked up from Nangli village in Kolar’s Mulbagal on Saturday evening on charges of harassing a Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) contractor for bribe, casteist slurs on a former corporator, and also cheating, criminal intimidation and insulting a woman’s modesty.

Asked about "illegal items" seized from the prison here recently by officials, he said an investigation has begun on this.

When a photo of actor Darshan Thoogudeepa, who was lodged in Parappana Agrahara Prison here, hanging out with other inmates surfaced recently, action was taken based on the probe report and eleven officials were suspended.

"I will look into recent seizures made too and action will be taken; also probe is on at other prisons in the state and action will follow if anything wrong is found," the Minister added.

Police raided the high-security wing of Parappana Agrahara Central Prison here on Saturday and seized smartphones and other illegal goods.

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