3 Muslim journos detained in Kalburgi; no evidence of terror link, admit police

December 4, 2015

Belagavi/Kalaburagi, Dec 4: In a shocking development, the police have picked up three Muslim journalists working for a local Urdu newspaper in Kalburgi for questioning following the arrest of a youth on charge of capturing video of the facilities at Sambra airport in Belagavi.

Security personnel at Sambra airport had detained Mohammed Hussein Ali Qureshi, 21, from Kalaburagi, after he was found filming various security check-points at the airport on Tuesday.

Analysis of his mobile phone has now revealed that he had filmed at least 36 installations in Bengaluru, Belagavi, Mysuru, Hubballi and Bagalkot, police sources said.

The Belagavi police arrested the youth and a local court remanded him in police custody till December 9.

When the police came to know that Qureshi worked as a vendor for the Urdu newspaper, they decided to pick up the editor and two other journalists of the same newspaper.

Senior intelligence officials in Bengaluru said that an association with terror groups had not yet been established either with the arrested youth in Belagavi or with those being questioned in Kalaburagi.

“We are questioning the three journalists on their nature of relationship with the arrested. They have not been formally arrested,” the official confirmed.

S. Ravi, Commissioner of Police, Belagavi, claimed that the preliminary probe points towards a suspected terror plot nipped in the bud.

“We are jointly conducting the probe. The Belagavi police are in touch with us. We have been conducting enquiries here and there and so far no concrete evidence has emerged about the involvement of any person in Kalaburagi,” Inspector General of Police of the North Eastern Range Sunil Agarwal said.

He said certain elements were being interrogated and no clinching evidence about their involvement has emerged.

Also Read: Muslim youth videographing airport booked on sedition charges

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Air India Express brings back Mangaluru–Muscat direct flights from March 2026

News Network

December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Air India Express has announced that it will resume direct flight services between Mangaluru and Muscat from March 2026, restoring an important international air link for passengers from the coastal region.

Airport authorities said the service will operate twice a week—on Sundays and Tuesdays—from March 1. The initial flights are scheduled on March 3, 8 and 10, followed by March 15 and 17, with the same operating pattern to continue thereafter. The flight duration is approximately three hours and 25 minutes.

The Mangaluru–Muscat route was earlier operated under the 2025 summer schedule, with services beginning on July 14. At that time, Air India Express had operated four flights a week before suspending the service.

Officials said the summer schedule will come into effect from March 29, after which changes in flight timings and departure schedules from Mangaluru are expected. Passengers have been advised to check the latest schedules while planning their travel.

The resumption of direct flights to Muscat is expected to significantly benefit expatriates, business travellers and others, further strengthening Mangaluru’s air connectivity with the Gulf region.

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