This cop turns 'lathi' into flute to play folk songs

Agencies

May 29, 2019

Bengaluru, May 29: A head constable in Karnataka's Hubli rural police station turned his fibre-made lathi (cane) into a flute to play folk songs as a hobby.

"Making musical instruments and playing them have been my hobby for long. I turned the fibre lathi, given to me for policing, into a flute to play folk songs when free from work, Chandrakant Hutgi told IANS.

The 52-year-old Hutgi's skill and artistic talent earned him recognition from the state police department and a special cash award (inam) from Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Bhaskar Rao in Bengaluru.

"Rao called me to Bengaluru on Monday with the musical lathi and play for him in his office after he heard from his colleagues at Hubli that I converted it into a flute. He also rewarded me," said Hutgi.

Using local tools, Hutgi skillfully drilled eight holes into the lathi, including one for blowing air, six for playing his fingers and another smaller outlet to let out the air.

"Chandrakant Hutgi, head constable from Hubli Rural police station has converted his deadly fibre lathi into a musical instrument... we are proud of him," tweeted Rao after recording video of a folk song Hutgi played in his office here.

Soon after Rao posted the video clip on the social media -- his Facebook and Twitter handle, Hutgi's skill and musical talent went viral.

The video was also circulated on Whatsapp by his colleagues. "Since the video clip went viral earlier in the day, I have been getting calls from colleagues, friends and relatives and congratulatory messages," chuckled Hutgi. When Hutgi was posted on security duty at Dattapeetha shrine in Chikmagalur's Baba Budangiri hills for a week in December 2017, he converted the lathi into a flute in free time and fine-tuned it to play folk songs and Kannada film songs some times.

"To kill boredom or break monotony, I play the flute and entertain my colleagues after duty hours. My seniors asked me to play the flute on May 23 after vote count at the Dharwad counting centre," recalled Hutgi.

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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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