Contract workers stage protest against airport management

October 17, 2011

Mangalore, October 17: Mangalore Airport Workers' Association started an indefinite protest outside the entrance to the airport, on Monday condemning sacking of contract workers without any reason. The protesters demanded the airport authorities to re-appoint the workers to their duty at the earliest.

Addressing the protesters Association Member Krishnananda said that several local people working in the airport on contract basis since many years.

Recently the contractor who took the responsibility of maintaining the old airport has removed several locals working at the airport.

He said that so far seven have lost their job. “The people who have been sacked belong to Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and backward communities. Many are those who have got job because they had lost their land to the Airport expansion project,” claimed Krishnananda adding that though they had met the Mangalore Airport Director M R Vasudeva a couple of times and brought this issue to his notice he has not paid any heed to it.

“We felt that he was supporting the move of the contractor. When we pleaded with him to help the workers, he told us that he will be employing workers from Jharkhand and other states who are willing to work at much lesser salary,” alleged Krishnananda adding that the Mangalore Airport Director M R Vasudeva himself is against the local work force.

The Samiti said that the contract of the new airport too has been given to the same contractor and even here the conspiracy of cutting down on local workers is going on relentlessly.

The Samiti said that even if the contractor is changed, priority should be given to
the workers who have been working in the airport from so many years and measures should be taken to safeguard their interest.

Authorities should take steps to stop the harassment of workers by higher officials, dissolve the contract of the present contractor who has been meting out injustice at the workers and provide all facilities that the workers deserve to get legally.

Another member of the Mangalore Airport Workers Association said that the security of the airport is at stake as the workers are being recruited by the authorities without the very necessary Police Clearance Certificate (PCC).

Protesters shouted out slogans against the MangaloreAirport Director M R Vasudeva , the contractor and the system existing at the airport management level.

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From Dubai boom to Bengaluru backlash: Inside CJ Roy’s journey

News Network

January 31,2026

Bengaluru: The shooting incident involving CJ Roy, founder of the Confident Group, has once again put the spotlight on a businessman whose life has swung between flamboyant global success and persistent controversy at home.

Though Roy’s business interests extended across continents, his roots lay firmly in Karnataka. An alumnus of Christ School in Bengaluru, he later moved to Tumakuru to pursue an engineering degree. Those familiar with his early years describe him as intensely ambitious, beginning his career as a salesman at a small electronics firm dealing in computers.

Roy’s entry into large-scale real estate came through the Crystal Group, where he worked closely with Latha Namboothiri and rose from manager to director. However, the launch of the Confident Group in 2005 was clouded by industry speculation. Insiders speak of a fallout involving alleged “benami” properties and claims of deception that ultimately led to his independent venture—an episode Roy spent years trying to distance himself from, according to associates.

A tale of two cities

Roy’s professional trajectory diverged sharply across geographies.

In Dubai, he built a reputation as a bold and efficient developer, completing massive luxury residential projects in record time—some reportedly within 11 months. His rapid project delivery and lavish lifestyle in the Emirates earned him admiration and visibility in the real estate sector.

In Bengaluru, however, his image remained far more fractured. Sources say Roy stayed away from the city for several years amid disputes over unpaid dues to vendors and suppliers. Several projects were allegedly stalled, with accusations of unfulfilled commitments to cement and steel suppliers continuing to follow him.

Roy’s return to Bengaluru’s business and social circles began around 2018, marked by a conscious attempt at rebranding. His appointment as Honorary Consul of the Slovak Republic added diplomatic legitimacy, which he complemented with visible CSR initiatives, including ambulance donations and high-profile charity events.

Heavy police presence in Langford Town

Following the incident, police personnel from the Central division were deployed outside the Confident Group building in Langford Town, which also houses the Slovak Honorary Consulate in Bengaluru.

The otherwise busy premises near Hosur Road wore a deserted look on Friday, reflecting the shock and uncertainty that followed the tragedy.

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