Crisis prevents SpiceJet from launching Mangaluru-Riyadh direct flight

February 3, 2015

Mangaluru, Feb 3: Even though the SpiceJet had shown interest to start flight services to key Saudi Arabian destinations from Mangaluru when its summer schedules comes into effect, the financial crisis has forced the low-cost private Indian carrier to withdraw from the plan.

In fact the SpiceJet had decided to launch direct flight service to Riyadh and Dammam from Mangaluru, in October 2013, after the Ministry of Civil Aviation permitted Indian carriers to operate their flights to the Middle East from eight airports in smaller cities, including Mangaluru.

However, it had postponed its decision thanks to financial crisis and other reasons. Meanwhile, Concerned over the deteriorating condition of SpiceJet aviation regulator DGCA has asked it to clear salary dues of all its employees.

The DGCA also directed the airline not to take bookings of flights over one month and refund the booking amount to the customers of cancelled flights in 30 days, sources said.

At present, Mangaluru has flight connectivity to several Middle East destinations namely Dubai, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, Muscat, Bahrain, Doha and Dammam.

Director of Mangalore International Airport J T Radhakrishna said there is a demand from passengers to introduce direct flights to Saudi Arabia’s key cities like Jeddah and Riyadh. So far no airlines has come forward to service these sectors.

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QR-code tips power Mangaluru's major drug bust: 25 arrested in 2 weeks

News Network

December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

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