One CISF jawan killed in clashes at Kozhikode Airport

Kozhikode, Jun 11: The Karripur International Airport in Kerala's Kozhikode was shut after a CISF jawan was killed and three others were injured in a clash between CISF personnel and Airport Authority of India officials.

The trouble started when an Airport Authority of India (AAI) official entered a high security area of the airport around 9:30 pm and a CISF personnel on duty approached him to conduct a body search.

Police sources said that an argument broke out between the two and the gun of the CISF personnel was forcibly taken away from him. In the melee, the gun went off and a bullet hit the CISF personnel, identified as Jaipal Yadav, who dropped dead.

Three of Yadav`s colleagues were also injured in the incident.

Following the incident, CISF personnel reportedly blocked the runway, forcing the airport to be shut, leaving over 400 passengers stranded. All flights to Karripur are being diverted to Kochi.

Reports said that the Kozhikode airport will reopen by today afternoon.

Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said he has asked the additional director general of police, N Shankar Reddy, to reach the airport and has also ordered to deploy additional police force in the area.

Sources said that confrontations between AAI staff and CISF personnel at the Kozhikode airport were a common thing.

AAI staff union members claimed that excessive frisking by CISF led to the clash.

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Air India Express delays Mangaluru-Singapore direct flight due to low bookings

News Network

January 8,2025

Mangaluru: Air India Express (AIE) has postponed its much-anticipated direct flight service between Mangaluru International Airport (MIA) and Singapore, citing low bookings. Passengers who had booked tickets for the inaugural flight scheduled for January 21 and subsequent dates have been notified of the cancellation through email.

In its email, AIE assured passengers of alternative travel arrangements, including connecting flight options between MIA and Singapore. However, the decision to delay the direct service has left travelers and travel agents disappointed.

An AIE official attributed the postponement to operational challenges but clarified that the airline has not abandoned plans for the route. “We are committed to starting the service, but there is no immediate confirmation on the new launch date,” the official stated. He further explained that sustaining a route requires consistent demand, and seasonal travel alone is insufficient to justify operations.

Another AIE representative admitted that the number of bookings for the inaugural flight was below expectations but declined to disclose specific figures.

Rajesh H Acharya, director of HQ Connections Pte Ltd in Singapore and coordinator of the Singapore Tuluver community, expressed his disappointment. Acharya, who has been advocating for a direct flight between Mangaluru and Singapore since 2017, said, “After years of effort, we finally convinced the airline to start this service, but it has now been deferred.”

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Acharya posted: "Did not expect such behavior from @AirIndiaX, now owned by @TataCompanies & @SIAirlines. If there are issues, travelers deserve to be informed well in advance. This decision needs investigation at the highest level."

The delay has raised questions among the travel community, with many hoping the airline will address these concerns and provide a clear timeline for the launch of the Mangaluru-Singapore direct flight.

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