The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) advisory recommends keeping restraining devices inside Aircraft to control unruly passengers.
A senior DGCA official said that they recommend devices kept in aircraft cabins used to restrain unruly passengers of level 3 type i.e abusive physically violent category. The device looks like a handcuff. Equipment for the help of cabin crew. Some airlines in India like Air Asia are keeping it in the aircraft cabin.
He further said that Applying restraining devices should be used when all conciliatory approaches have been exhausted. Civil Aviation Rule (CAR) makes cabin crew responsible for informing the passenger of the repercussion and consequences of such unruly behaviour.
The advisory comes in wake of a passenger urinating on a woman on an Air India flight.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
A video of an Islamist cleric named Sheikh Younus Kathrada is making rounds on social media. The video is from Canada. It was first published on 30th December 2022, on YouTube Channel Muslim Youth Victoria. In this video, Sheikh Younus Kathrada said in his provocative speech that non-Muslims make false allegations against Islam because they are enemies of Allah. In the video that has gone viral, the cleric is seen saying that non-Muslims are their enemies, and their children should understand, ‘May Allah annihilate atheists’.
Sheikh Younus Kathrada said, “They accuse Islam of these false accusations because they are the enemies of Allah. How is it that they are not the enemies of Allah when they insult Allah? What does Allah say in Quran about himself? He begets not, nor is He begotten. He doesn’t have children, and He is not the child of anyone. But what do (the Christians) say? They say that Allah has a son. Is this not enmity towards Allah? How are they not the enemies of Allah when they accuse Allah of being tight-fisted, of being stingy, of not being generous?”
Sheikh Younus Kathrada added, “You know when (the Jews) said that Allah responded to them by saying “May their hands be shackled. May they be tight-fisted. May their hands be tied.” And Allah tells us that they are cursed because of what they say. So what, they are the friends of Allah and that’s why Allah curses them? No! He only curses them because they are the enemies of Allah. Understand this well.”
Sheikh Younus Kathrada further said, “Make sure this is clear in your mind. Do you think that they are your friends? No. They are the enemies of Allah. So if they are the enemies of Allah, how are they your close friends? I want our children to understand this well. The non-Muslims are the enemies of Allah therefore they are your enemies. Some of them don’t even believe that Allah exists. Do you want somebody like that to be a close friend of yours? Oh Allah, give strength to Islam and Muslims, humiliate the infidels and the polytheists, destroy the enemies of our religion, and annihilate the heretics and the atheists!”
Canadian Cleric Younus Kathrada: Congratulating Christians for Christmas is Worse than Murder pic.twitter.com/1S73XPjfRk
This is not the first time the cleric has given such a speech. Earlier also, the cleric has given such controversial speeches. In 2018, Sheikh Younus Kathrada, delivered a speech in British Columbia where he said, “There are those who will say to them “Merry Christmas” – what are you congratulating them on? Are these congratulations on the birth of your Lord? Is that acceptable to a Muslim? Are you now approving of their beliefs? By saying that you are approving of it.”
“If a person were to commit every major sin – committing adultery, dealing with interest, lying, murder… If a person were to do all of those major sins, they are nothing compared to the sin of congratulating and greeting the non-Muslims on their false festivals,” he added.
Earlier Sheik Younus Kathrada was probed by Royal Canadian Mounted Police for hate speech for his controversial statements against non-Muslims.
In another case of love jihad that had come to the fore from Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, a youth named Faizal Syed Abbas lured a minor Dalit girl into his ‘love’ trap by posing as Shaan Pandit, a Brahmin. Once the girl fell into the trap, he sexually assaulted her multiple times and also extorted money several times from the victim.
The accused forced the minor to convert to Islam by threatening her with her private videos and photos. The minor, who got impregnated, not once but thrice, was also coerced to terminate the pregnancy each time by the accused.
The Bhopal police Thursday arrested the doctor who had performed the abortion of a minor girl in Madhya Pradesh’s Bhopal. Prior to the doctor’s arrest, the police also arrested Faizal Syed Abbas based on a complaint filed against him at Ajak police station in the city.
Additional Commissioner of Police (ACP) Nidhi Saxena said, “An FIR was registered on December 13 in which during investigation it came to fore that the 16-year-old girl was aborted. On further investigation, it has been found that a clinic was running in the name of BSC MD.”
“The police sealed the clinic and arrested the accused. A case has been registered for legal traits and illegal practices under section 313 (Causing miscarriage without a woman’s consent) of the IPC MTP Act. He will be produced before the court today,” she added.
“Earlier, a case against the rape accused was registered under section 376 (rape), 377 (Unnatural offences) of the IPC and under religious freedom act,” ACP Saxena added.
According to the victim, the accused befriended her by concealing his identity. The victimrevealed that Faizal Abbas had also got a fake Aadhaar made in the name of Shaan.
Accused Faizal Abbas got a fake Aadhar card made in the name of Shaan (source: Dainik Bhaskar)
The victim stated that three years ago, Faizal Abbas took her to a hotel saying that it was his birthday, where he raped her for the first time. The victim said that the accused was 16 years old then. The accused also made videos of the act and thereafter, he kept sexually exploiting the victim for three years by threatening to upload videos on social media. He also got her aborted 3 times during this time.
According to the victim, the accused also pressurized her to change her religion. He used to take her for a walk wearing a burqa.
When the victim became pregnant for the first time, the accused accompanied her to Dr M Srivastava, who performed the abortion on her. Following that, on two separate occasions, the accused himself gave medicines to the victim that resulted in miscarriages.
The victim stated that Faizal Syed Abbas’s parents and brother were also aware of the abortion. Faizal’s father threatened the victim’s mother to forget what occurred since bringing it up would bring disrepute to the family.
In wake of Air India mid-air urination incidents, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Friday issued an advisory to the head of operations of all scheduled airlines with regard to handling unruly passenger on board and respective responsibilities as per the regulations.
The guidelines come in the wake of back-to-back two urination incidents on Air India flights last year.
The DGCA said that it is observed that post holders, pilots and cabin crew members have failed to take appropriate actions regarding the incidents of unruly behaviour and inappropriate conduct by the passenger on board.
In a statement, DGCA said, “In the recent past, DGCA has noticed a few incidents of unruly behaviour and inappropriate conduct by the passenger on board the aircraft during flight, wherein it is observed that post holders, pilots and cabin crew members have failed to take appropriate actions.”
The aviation regulatory body further said that non-action or inappropriate action or omission by the airlines towards such untoward incidents had tarnished the image of air travel in different segments of society.
It said that the individual’s responsibility for the handling of the unruly passenger has been specified under various provisions of Aircraft Rules, 1937, DGCA regulations, circulars and manuals of airlines approved or accepted by DGCA.
DGCA also highlight some points that come under the Aircraft Rules.
Highlighting the responsibilities of Pilots, the DGCA said the Pilot in command is responsible for the safety of the passenger and cargo carried and for the maintenance of flight discipline
“Responsibilities of Pilots: Sub Rule (2) of Rule 141 of the Aircraft Rules, 1937 states that the Pilot in command is responsible for the safety of the passenger and cargo carried and for the maintenance of flight discipline and safety of the members of the crew in addition to being responsible for the operation and safety of the aircraft during flight,” it said.
It further said, “Para 4.11 of the CAR Section 3, Series M, Part VI makes the Pilot in command responsible for assessing the situation quickly if the cabin crew can control the situation and accordingly relay this information to the airline’s central control on the ground for further action. In addition, para 4.13 of the said CAR mandates that upon the landing of the aircraft, the airline representative shall lodge FIR with the concerned security agency at an aerodrome, to whom, the unruly passenger shall be handed over.”
It said, further, detailed procedures for handling unruly passenger are enumerated under the relevant chapter of the approved Operations Manual (Part-A) of respective airlines.
Pointing out the responsibilities of Cabin Crews, the DGCA said that it is their responsibility of handling unruly passenger and to defuse a critical situation until it becomes clear.
“Responsibilities of Cabin Crews: Para 4 7 of CAR Section 3. Series M. Part VI describes the responsibility of the cabin crew for handling unruly passenger and to defuse a critical situation until it becomes clear that there is no way to resolve it through verbal communication and written notice to passenger Applying restraining devices should be used when all conciliatory approaches have been exhausted Further para 4.9 of the said CAR makes cabin crew responsible for informing the passenger of the repercussion and consequences of such unruly behaviour
“Further, detailed procedures for the handling of the unruly passenger are described under respective airline Safety and Emergency Procedure Manual and Quick Reference Handbook which is prepared based upon the guidelines given under Cabin Safety Circular 01/2016 and accepted by DGCA,” it added.
Further underlining the responsibility of Director-in-flight Services, the DGCA said that they are responsible for reporting any such incident.
“Responsibility of Director-in-flight Services (Cabin Safety): Para 4 13 & para 6 6 of the CAR Section 3. Series M. Part VI makes the nodal officer i.e. Director-in-flight Services responsible for reporting any such incident in the prescribed proforma given under Cabin safety circular 02/2010 to DGCA. Further detailed procedures are described under the Safety and Emergency Procedure Manual of respective airlines,” the regulatory body said.
It further advised all the heads of airlines to sensitize pilots, cabin crew and Director-in-flight Services of their respective airlines on the topic of handling unruly passenger through appropriate means under intimation to DGCA Any non-compliance towards applicable regulations shall be dealt with strictly and invite enforcement action.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
A Hindu man named Laloo Kachhi was brutally thrashed by a Muslim mob led by one Abdullah Khoso on December 25, while the former was trying to resist his sister’s abduction. The incident happened in Kunti, a small town in the district Umerkot of Sindh (Umerkot was formally Amarkot) in Pakistan. The Hindu youth succumbed to his injuries on January 1, 2023.
A video of an injured Laloo was shared by several Sindhi activists and journalists on Twitter. Now, another Human rights activist from Pakistan, Faqir Shiva Kachhi, has revealed how the Sindh police are delaying action in the case and trying to protect the perpetrator.
The activist posted a video on Twitter today (January 6) showing Sindh police escorting the accused Abdullah Khoso away. The accused is seen wearing handcuffs. The activist claimed that even though the police had apprehended the accused, SHO Nabi Sarrod maintained that the accused had not yet been arrested. He suggested that the cops were attempting to protect the accused by lying about his arrest.
Activist alleges Sindh police set the perpetrator free after getting a call from some influential person
In his subsequent tweet, Faqir Shiva Kachhi alleged that the police had set the perpetrator free after they received a phone call from some influential person. “The arrested killer of Lalu Kachhi Ubaidullah Khoso, was released yesterday from Kunri @uPolice station on the phone of a political figure. They are trying to end the FIR by freeing him from the murder case of a political person by taking a heavy bribe on the phone @VeengasJ,” tweeted the activist.
The arrested killer of Lalu Kachhi Ubaidullah Khoso, was released yesterday from Kunri @uPolice station on the phone of a political figure. They are trying to end the FIR by freeing him from the murder case of a political person by taking a heavy bribe on the phone @VeengasJpic.twitter.com/QKyoamM2cQ
— Faqir Shiva Kachhi (دراوڙ)???? (@FaqirShiva) January 6, 2023
Notably, on January 2, the activist turned to Twitter to express his displeasure with the Sindh police’s lack of action on the issue. He explained how the police had declined to file an FIR in the case. He also chastised the authorities and the administration for their deafening silence on the matter.
Thirty-five years old Hindu man Laloo Kachhi succumbed to serve wounds yesterday. The mother said in the video that her son was murdered and her daughter was abducted. The Sindh government and local authorities are silent on the incident, and the police have refused to register pic.twitter.com/6MD6veBFCJ
— Faqir Shiva Kachhi (دراوڙ)???? (@FaqirShiva) January 2, 2023
Notably, Sindh-based journalist-activist Veengas had on January 3, also posted a video of Laloo’s aggrieved parents saying that no police case was registered for two days despite their complaints.
I am at a loss for words — the mother whose son was severely beaten and died of his wounds, and her daughter was abducted.
Police refused to file FIR. They have been protesting in the open sky in winte for the FIR.
Another activist had later informed how, following the social media outrage, the Sindh police finally registered an FIR invoking murder and abduction charges on 3 January.
While cases of abduction of Hindu girls, killing of Hindu men, mass conversion of Hindu families by unethical means and harassment of Hindu residents by slapping false blasphemy-related cases are routine in the Sindh province of Pakistan, this was the latest to be reported.
What led to the death of Laloo Kachhi in Sindh, Pakistan
In the aforementioned case, a 35-year-old Hindu man named Laloo Kachhi died after being beaten up by a Muslim mob that was trying to abduct his sister. The mob, led by Abdullah Khoso barged into Laloo’s house on December 25, 2022, and tried to forcefully take his sister Lali away.
This was not Abdullah’s first effort at abducting Lali. Abdullah had taken Lali to his home in November and imprisoned her. The local people privy to the incident confirmed that Abdullah had then tried to forcibly convert Lali to Islam. He had also forcibly tried to marry Lali, an already married woman, as per Islamic rituals. She was rescued at the time after the Hindu community outraged, prompting the Sindh police to file a police report against Abdullah.
Lalu testified against Abdullah in court, and the court returned Lali to his brother. At the time, Abdullah, regarded as a local goon, had threatened Lalu with dire consequences.
On December 25, when Abdullah stormed into Laloo’s house, intending to again abduct Lali, Laloo attempted to fight him off. However, Abdullah, who had arrived prepared with his accomplices, ruthlessly beat up Laloo, leading to his death on January 1, 2023.
According to reports, Lali’s whereabouts are still unknown as she is suspected to have been kidnapped by Abdullah Khoso.
On Tuesday (January 3), Pakistani Minister Khawaja Asif courted controversy for claiming that early closure of markets helps in controlling the population.
In a video that has now gone viral on social media, Asif was heard as saying, “In places where markets close by 8 pm, only fewer children are born. Think about the efficiency of the Pakistani people. Markets are closing at 1 am but they are still producing more kids.”
He made the remarks while trying to rationalise the new ‘National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Plan’ of the Pakistani government. Khawaja Asif is a seasoned politician, associated with Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz).
New research, babies can’t be made after 8pm. “There’s no population increase in countries where markets close at 8pm,” defence minister. pic.twitter.com/G5IUAuOYD6
The Pakistan government on Tuesday announced plans to reduce energy consumption nationwide whereby it proposes to close markets by 8:30 pm and wedding halls by 10 pm, in view of the rising circular debt in the energy sector.
“The plan will change the overall lifestyle and habit pattern of the nation and save us Pkr 60 billion,” Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif was quoted as saying by Dawn newspaper during a press conference. Addressing the presser alongside other key ministers, Asif said that the production of fans run on electricity will be halted in Pakistan by July.
“Inefficient fans use around 120-130 watts of electricity. Across the globe, fans are available that use 60-80 watts,” he said. This development comes as a Pakistan media report said this policy is aimed at saving energy as the government resolves to reduce circular debt in the energy sector.
The power division in Pakistan has said that the circular debt which stood at Pkr2.253 trillion by end of September last year had now reached Pkr2.437 trillion, the Dawn report said citing media reports. The Pakistan Defence Minister said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed to decrease the usage of electricity used by all federal government departments by 30 percent.
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has courted controversy after he revealed in his upcoming memoir ‘Spare’ that he killed 25 people in Afghanistan while serving the British army.
As per reports, he had been on two missions to the war-torn country of Afghanistan and confessed to taking 25 lives of Taliban terrorists during his military service. According to his memoir, Prince Harry thought of the 25 targets as ‘chess pieces’ and not ‘people.’
The British royal claimed to feel no pride or shame for his actions. He also wrote that he watched every video of his ‘kill’ when he returned to his military base. Prince Harry reminisced that a video camera, which was mounted on his Apache helicopter, recorded his missions in full.
???? Prince Harry has reportedly disclosed in his new autobiography that he killed 25 people while an Apache attack helicopter pilot in Afghanistan.
Harry reportedly writes that he is not embarrased of the killings as he didn’t see the victims as “people” but as “chess pieces”. pic.twitter.com/cEatIHTdtx
In his memoir, the Prince of Sussex pointed out that it is not possible to kill anybody if you think of them as a ‘person’ and thanked the British army for teaching him how to ‘otherise’ the Taliban radicals.
He wrote, “I made it my purpose, from day one, to never go to bed with any doubt whether I had done the right thing… whether I had shot at Taliban and only Taliban, without civilians in the vicinity.”
“I wanted to return to Great Britain with all my limbs, but more than that I wanted to get home with my conscience intact. So my number is 25. It’s not a number that fills me with satisfaction, but nor does it embarrass me,” Prince Harry emphasised.
He said that he felt no guilt for taking out 25 Talibs because he did not forget the horrors of the 9/11 attack and his personal meetings with family members of the victims. The British royal described the Taliban and its sympathisers as ‘enemies of humanity.’
Prince Harry was first deployed as a Forward Air Controller to Helmand Province in Afghanistan in 2007, but he was recalled after his presence in the war-torn country was disclosed by media. Returning to the UK, he became a pilot by learning to Apache helicopters, and during 2011-12, was part of the Joint Aviation Group which provided helicopter support to the International Security Assistance Force and Afghan forces. He was known as Captain Wales in the military, and worked as a co-pilot and gunner during his four-month combat tour.
As his second stint in Afghanistan was not kept secret, the Taliban had made several attempts at his life. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid had told Reuters in September 2011 that they were using all their strength to get rid of him, either by killing or kidnapping.
Camp Bastion, where Prince Harry was based, was attacked by the Taliban in September 2011, in which two US marines were killed. Harry was moved to a safer location after the attack.
After returning from Afghanistan, he had revealed that he had killed several terrorists in six missions that he flew, but at that time the number of kills was not revealed. Prince Harry had compared his missions to playing video games, saying it came naturally to him as he was accustomed to playing combat games on PlayStation and Xbox. “It’s a joy for me because I’m one of those people who loves playing PlayStation and Xbox, so with my thumbs I like to think I’m probably quite useful,” he had said.
Prince Harry was responsible for firing the Hellfire air-to-surface missiles, rockets and 30mm gun on the Apache helicopter.
His combat tour to Afghanistan in 2012 started just weeks after he and an unknown woman were photographed naked in a Las Vegas hotel.
Taliban reacts to the revelations made in the memoir of Prince Harry
While reacting strongly to the development, Taliban leader Anas Haqqani tweeted, “Mr. Harry! The ones you killed were not chess pieces, they were humans; they had families who were waiting for their return.”
He added, “Among the killers of Afghans, not many have your decency to reveal their conscience and confess to their war crimes.”
1/3- Mr. Harry! The ones you killed were not chess pieces, they were humans; they had families who were waiting for their return. Among the killers of Afghans, not many have your decency to reveal their conscience and confess to their war crimes. pic.twitter.com/zjDwoDmCN1
“The truth is what you’ve said; Our innocent people were chess pieces to your soldiers, military and political leaders. Still, you were defeated in that “game” of white & black “square,” he further claimed.
“I don’t expect that the ICC will summon you or the human rights activists will condemn you, because they are deaf and blind for you. But hopefully these atrocities will be remembered in the history of humanity,” Anas Haqqani concluded.
3/3- I don’t expect that the ICC will summon you or the human rights activists will condemn you, because they are deaf and blind for you. But hopefully these atrocities will be remembered in the history of humanity.
Experts say Prince Harry risked his life with his explosive revelations
Several political commentators had lashed out at Prince Harry for jeopardising his life by revealing the number of Talibs that he killed in Afghanistan.
Harry’s claim that he killed 25 Taliban is a nightmare — an absolute nightmare — for his security teams. How stupid can you be?
“Harry’s claim that he killed 25 Taliban is a nightmare – an absolute nightmare – for his security teams. How stupid can you be?”, tweeted journalist Andrew Neil.
Love you #PrinceHarry but you need to shut up! Makes you wonder the people he’s hanging around with. If it was good people somebody by now would have told him to stop.
“Love you #PrinceHarry but you need to shut up! Makes you wonder the people he’s hanging around with. If it was good people somebody by now would have told him to stop,” remarked Royal marines veteran, Ben Mcbean.
It is notable that due to possible threats to soldiers and their families, USA, UK and other countries deploying their forces in the middle east to fight Islamist terrorists do not identify their soldiers. For example, the US Navy Seals that took out Osama bin Laden in Pakistan were never officially identified by the US govt.
On 5th January 2023, a mob of Islamists attacked Hindus who had come together to renovate a century-old Shiva temple in Radhaballabhchak village under Pasnkura police station, in East Medinipur of West Bengal. Muslims objected to the renovation of a Shiv Temple and attacked the Hindus of the area with bricks and iron rods. Many Hindus were injured in this attack.
Muslim fanatics destroyed recently built columns of the constructions and also damaged the temple. Even the relatives of the afflicted Hindu Trinamul Panchayat chief were reportedly not spared by the Muslim attackers and were unable to be saved in time by the police who arrived on the scene later. The local “Bangiya Hindu Sena” leaders have issued a call to action to defend Hindus’ religious freedom by uniting Hindus regardless of their political affiliations.
Swami Ambikananda, the President of the newly formed Bangiya Hindu Sena said in a Facebook post, “We want a quick non-partisan solution to the problem. We believe in the path of peace, but we are not in favor of keeping silent when we see the blood of Hindus.” He added, “All the Hindus in the area are ours. We are on the side of the Hindus in that area by keeping politics away.”
Bangiya Hindu Sena said in a statement, “We will see the action of the local administration for 48 hours, otherwise we will take our rights with the Hindu might of the area.”
According to a report by Hindu Existence, Swami Ambikananda said, “I have already informed the vulnerable condition of the Hindus of Radhaballabchak of Panshkura and urged the concerned SP and DSP of East Medinipur to provide the safety and security of the attacked people. Police are trying to arrest 14 Hindu activists in the areas giving false allegations. I will also go to the spot to extend my support to the Hindus of Radhaballabchak on Saturday, 7th January 2023.”
On November 26, onboard Air India flight AI-102, an inebriated male passenger, now identified as Shankar Mishra, travelling by business class from New York to Delhi, exposed himself and urinated on a female co-passenger.
Today, (January 6, 2023) accused Shankar Mishra, who has been absconding since the purported incident came to light, issued a statement through his lawyers claiming that he had paid ‘compensation’ to the victim and the lady displayed no intention of lodging a complaint.
Meanwhile, the victim alleged in her complaint that the crew members on board compelled her to confront the accused and negotiate with him, and accept his ‘apology’.
The incident occurred on November 26, 2022, but it only came to the fore after the media, on January 4, 2023, reported about the letter the woman flyer, a senior citizen in her seventies, submitted to Tata Group’s chairman N Chandrasekaran, narrating her harrowing experience on board Air Inda flight AI-102.
Source: Twitter user @SomilMathur
Air India’s response to the entire fiasco came only recently, after the incident acquired steam as a result of the media coverage. As a consequence, the investigation into the matter was also expedited.
‘Paid compensation, got shoes and clothes dry cleaned’: Accused’s lawyer
In the midst of the ongoing investigation, the lawyers representing accused Shankar Mishra stated on Friday that he had paid ‘adequate compensation’ to the female passenger via Paytm on November 28 and that the lady showed no intention of lodging a complaint against him. Mishra’s statement also read that he had got the woman victim’s clothes and bags cleaned on November 28 and returned them to her on November 30.
“The lady in her message has clearly condoned the alleged act and has displayed no intention to lodge a complaint,” the statement added.
The lawyers of Shankar Mishra, Ishanee Sharma, and Akshat Bajpai, in a statement, informed that the female passenger was concerned only about the compensation being paid to her by the airline for which she also raised a subsequent complaint on December 20, 2022.
Woman who was urinated upon on the Air India flight says she was compelled to sit with her harasser and reach a settlement
The victim, meanwhile, had a different version to offer. In her complaint, the woman flyer wrote that the crew brought the accused to her seat and forced her to face him as he begged to be spared arrest. She accused the crew members of coercing her to talk with the accused.
The woman said she was “stunned” when the offender was brought before her and he “started crying and profusely apologising”.
She added that the accused Shankar Mishra begged her to not report him to the police, saying he was a family man and that he did not want his wife and child to be affected by the incident.
“The flight staff were in the meanwhile also having discussions with the offender, who was sobering up by this time, and they came and told me that he wanted to apologize to me. I stated clearly that I did not want to interact with him or see his face, and that all I wanted was for him to be arrested on arrival. However, the crew brought the offender before me against my wishes, and we were made to sit opposite each other in the crew seats. I was stunned when he started crying and profusely apologizing to me, begging me not to lodge a complaint against him because he is a family man and did not want his wife and child to be affected by this incident. In my already distraught state, I was further disoriented by being made to confront and negotiate with the perpetrator of the horrific incident in close quarters. I told him that his actions were inexcusable, but in the face of his pleading and begging in front of me, and my own shock and trauma, I found it difficult to insist on his arrest or to press charges against him,” wrote the victim.
DCW issues notice to Delhi police, Air India and DGCA pertaining to the Air India ‘urinating’ incident
The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) on Friday issued a notice to the city police in connection with the alleged harassment and misconduct by passengers on two Air India flights recently. Calling the incidents “extremely disturbing and serious”, the panel sought copies of FIRs registered in the matters and arrests made.
The panel has also sought a report on the action taken against the airline for negligence in the matter by January 10.
The DCW chief took to Twitter to share the notices the women’s rights body sent to the Delhi police, DGCA and Air India.
Air India responds after it faces criticism for improper handling of the situation
Meanwhile, Air India has been facing severe criticism, including from the aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), over improper handling of the incident that happened in November last year but did not come to the fore until January this year. Apparently, no action was taken from the airlines’ side until the news was reported widely by the media.
Following the outcry, Air India banned the man from flying for 30 days and informed that a police complaint has been filed against the accused male passenger.
In a detailed statement, Air India said, “Air India has taken a very serious view of the incident, where a passenger behaved in an unacceptable and undignified manner on the New York-Delhi flight that caused extreme distress to a fellow passenger. A police complaint has already been lodged and Air India is committed to assisting the law enforcement agencies as well as regulatory authorities.”
“As a first step, Air India has banned the passenger for 30 days, the maximum it is permitted to unilaterally do so, and reported the matter to the DGCA for further action,” Air India spokesperson said.
“We have also constituted an internal committee to probe lapses on part of Air India’s crew and address the deficiencies that delayed quick redressal of the situation. We are also in regular contact with the aggrieved passenger and her family during the investigation and reporting process,” the airline said.
The accused Shankar Mishra is reportedly employed as the VP of the Indian chapter of a US-based financial services company.
On Friday, January 6, a Mumbai court issued a non-bailable against Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut for failing to appear before the court for proceedings in a Rs 100 crore defamation suit filed against him by BJP leader Kirit Somaiya’s wife Medha Somaiya.
The Sewri metropolitan magistrate issued the warrant. The magistrate recorded the complainant Medha Somaiya’s statement and set the hearing for January 24.
Medha Somaiya’s counsel Advocate Vivekanand Gupta informed that despite court orders, the Shiv Sena leader remained absent from the court proceedings. “After this, we gave an application to issue a non-bailable warrant against Sanjay Raut, consequently, the court issued a non-bailable warrant against him,” Advocate Gupta informed.
Non Bailable warrant issued against #sanjayRaut today by 25th Magistrate court, Sewree, in defamation compliant filed by Mrs. Medha @KiritSomaiya against @rautsanjay61
Taking to Twitter, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya informed about the issuance of a non-bailable warrant against Sanjay Raut and wrote, “Sewree Court issued Non-Bailable Warrant against #SanjayRaut for not attending the court. Court recorded Complainant Medha Somaiya’s statement for an hour, in Dr. Medha Kirit Somaiya’s defamation case against Sanjay Raut. Next hearing 24 Jan.”
Sewree Court issued Non Bailable Warrant against #SanjayRaut for not attending the court
Court recorded Complainant Medha Somaiya statement for an hour, in Dr Medha Kirit Somaiya defamation case against Sanjay Raut
This is not the first time the politician has been issued a warrant by the court in the case. In July 2022, Mumbai Metropolitan Magistrate had issued a bailable warrant against him for failing to appear in court. It is notable that during a hearing in the case in June 2022, the court had said that Prima facie, Sanjay Raut had harmed the reputation of the complainant.
“The documents and video clips produced on record prima facie revealed that the accused made defamatory statements against the complainant on April 15 and 16, 2022 so that it will be seen by public at large and read by the public in the newspapers,” metropolitan magistrate PI Mokashi had said.
It is worth noting that Medha Somaiya, wife of BJP leader Kirit Somaiya, filed a complaint against Sanjay Raut, accusing him of making malicious and unwarranted statements in the media about her and her husband. She had requested that he be charged under sections 503, 506, and 509 of the Indian Penal Code.
Medha also claimed that Raut planned to criminally intimidate and threaten her with character assassination without providing any proof. She later filed a defamation suit against Raut on May 24, 2022, seeking Rs 100 crore in damages.
Notably, Sanjay Raut in April last year had claimed that Medha Somaiya and the Yuva Pratishthan, a non-government organization managed by the Somaiya family, were involved in a Rs 100 crore toilet scam.
Sanjay Raut, the editor-in-chief of the Shiv Sena mouthpiece ‘Saamna’, had published an article stating that Medha had built unauthorized toilets and had cut mangroves without getting the requisite permissions from environmental authorities. It also added that she had looted the public money in the name of toilets and was leading a ‘fake and fraudulent NGO named Yuva Pratishthan.
Apart from the Saamna article, Raut had also repeated the allegations in bites given to electronic media. Medha Somaiya refuted the charges, saying he was saying this only to tarnish her reputation.
