JD(S) alleges DGCA denied permission to charter flights to Kochi for MLAs

Agencies

May 18, 2018

Bengaluru, May 18: Amid a power struggle in Karnataka, the JD(S) today alleged that chartered flights that were scheduled to carry its legislators along with those of the Congress from here to Kochi were denied permission by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation at the last minute.

However, a Civil Aviation Ministry official said DGCA permission was not required for charter operations within India.

"We are just working out, all flights have been denied permission...flights that were confirmed, last minute there is a problem," a JD(S) source told PTI when asked about JD(S) legislators travelling to Kochi, Kerala.

Asked whether the plan was for both the Congress and JD(S) MLAs travelling together, the source said, "Plan was there....you know what all kinds of things, they are doing."

The JD(S) MLAs were taken from a hotel in the city, and the Congress legislators from a resort, out of Bangalore in buses to an undisclosed destination, reported to be Puducherry or Kochi or Hyderabad. However, there was no confirmation about the destination.

Fearing poaching of their legislators by the BJP, the Congress and the JD(S) had earlier decided to fly them to a resort in Kochi.

BJP legislature party leader B S Yeddyurappa was today sworn-in as the chief minister of Karnataka. Yeddyurappa has 15 days to prove his majority in the Assembly.

The BJP has 104 MLAs in the House. The Congress won 78 seats, while the JD(S) was victorious in 37 constituencies.

Polling was held in 222 of the state's 224 seats, for which results were declared on May 15, delivering up a hung House.

Kerala minister and JD(S) leader Mathew T Thomas told ANI that he is not sure if Karnataka MLAs are coming by flight or not. "Not sure about destination if they come here, they're welcome."

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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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