Pilot's son fights to clear his father's name over Mangalore Air India crash

[email protected] (The National)
January 4, 2012

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Dubai, January 4: The son of the Serbian pilot blamed for an Air India crash in Mangalore that killed 158 people has called for the accident investigation to be reopened, and vows to clear his father's name.

Alexander Glusica, 26, said that investigators, while preparing the report that found his father negligent, had not considered what he claims are inadequate safety measures at Mangalore Airport. He has asked Air India to look into the airport's safety and other possible causes of the crash.

"I find it quite necessary to resolve the whole situation and to present our father to the public in the way that he really was, and not in the way he was described in the official report and in the media," said Mr Glusica, of Belgrade, who is also a pilot.

"The only aim of the report was, from the beginning of the investigation, to put the blame on my father. The crucial point in the report is how unsafe the Mangalore Airport is."

The ill-fated Air India Express flight had been travelling from Dubai to Mangalore when it overshot the runway and crashed at Mangalore Airport on May 22, 2010. Only eight people survived.

A court of inquiry appointed by the Indian government found Capt Zlatko Glusica responsible for the crash, saying that he had been sleeping for most of the flight and woke up disoriented when the aircraft was about to land.

The report said the captain, who died in the crash, had been sleeping in his seat for about an hour and 40 minutes during the flight, and that sleep inertia might have clouded his judgement.

However, his son pointed out that the aircraft caught fire after crashing into the instrument landing system at the end of the runway. He believes positioning the system in such a place was partly to blame for the disaster.

"The location of the non-frangible structure at this point is forbidden by every international aviation regulation," Mr Glusica said. "The access roads to the crash site are also in very bad condition. That is why the fire rescue operators failed to reach and contain the fire in a reasonable time."

Mr Glusica said that he and some colleagues of his late father had prepared a list of arguments against the court of inquiry report.

"These are only a few remarks among those from the report which give a clue about how hazardous the Mangalore runway is. Having that in mind, it is more than necessary to reopen the investigation, all in the aim of preventing another disaster from happening once more," he said. "We will forward a letter to Air India asking for an explanation as to why our father is being held responsible for the crash even though there were a lot of other issues that caused the accident."

Mr Glusica said he would take the matter to court.

"Our plan is to file a lawsuit against them in order to clear our father's name that they so intentionally wanted to abuse."

However, an Air India spokesman based in New Delhi said the court of inquiry's findings could not be disputed.

"He has been making these claims for a long time, and as an airline we have no comment except that the court of inquiry is a legal committee set up by the government and has done detailed work on the accident," the spokesman said.

The spokesman said Air India had contacted the family regarding the crash, despite Mr Glusica's denial that it had ever done so.

Mr Glusica said his father had been an employee of Air India since 2008, and that he had three children - himself and his two sisters.

One of the sisters, Merima, wrote a poem in honour of their father. She wrote:

"What can we do when winter comes with the beautiful snowflakes? Lonely, we will walk down the street, looking into your windows …

"The lights will be off. We know there's no one there since a long time ago. Only darkness … Tears in my eyes, that's all that will remain … May your wings be light, my angel."

"We miss our father so much," Mr Glusica said. "He was such a wonderful and caring human being. We love him."


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News Network
December 19,2025

Mangaluru: The Mangaluru CEN police have arrested a 23-year-old man for allegedly posting provocative and misleading content on an Instagram page named “mr_a_titude”, targeting the Bajpe police.

Mangaluru Commissioner of Police Sudheer Kumar Reddy C H identified the arrested as Abhishek M, a resident of Katipalla in Mangaluru.

A case has been registered at the Bajpe Police Station under Sections 353(1)(c), 353(2), 56, and 57 read with Section 189 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in connection with the post.

According to police, the accused uploaded a photograph of a hotel on the Instagram page and alleged that accused persons in a murder case under the Bajpe police jurisdiction were being given “royal treatment” by the police, including being served beef meals daily from the hotel.

The post further accused the police of supporting criminals, misusing their authority, and betraying public trust. Police said the content was provocative in nature and aimed at inciting public outrage against the police.

Following the post, a case was registered at the Bajpe police station, and further investigation was transferred to the CEN police station.

Police records indicate that the accused has a criminal history, with multiple cases registered against him, including murder, attempt to murder, assault, and robbery at the Surathkal Police Station, and one case at the Kaup Police Station.

The Commissioner said the accused was traced and arrested using technical evidence.

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News Network
December 19,2025

Mangaluru: In a decisive move to tackle the city’s deteriorating sanitation infrastructure, the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) has announced a massive ₹1,200 crore action plan to overhaul its underground drainage (UGD) network.

The initiative, spearheaded by Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator Darshan HV, aims to bridge "missing links" in the current system that have left residents grappling with overflowing sewage and environmental hazards.

The Breaking Point

The announcement follows a high-intensity phone-in session on Thursday, where the DC was flooded with grievances from frustrated citizens. Residents, including Savithri from Yekkur, described a harrowing reality: raw sewage from apartments leaking into stormwater drains, creating a "permanent stink" and turning residential zones into mosquito breeding grounds.

"We are facing immense difficulties due to the stench and the health risks. Local officials have remained silent until now," one resident reported during the session.

The Strategy: A Six-Year Vision

DC Darshan HV confirmed that the proposed plan is not a temporary patch but a comprehensive six-year roadmap designed to accommodate Mangaluru’s projected population growth. Key highlights of the plan include:

•    Infrastructure Expansion: Laying additional pipelines to connect older neighborhoods to the main grid.

•    STP Crackdown: Stricter enforcement of Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) regulations. While new apartments are required to have functional STPs, many older buildings lack them entirely, and several newer units are reportedly non-functional.

•    Budgetary Push: The plan has already been discussed with the district in-charge minister and the Secretary of the Urban Development Department. It is slated for formal presentation in the upcoming state budget.

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News Network
December 15,2025

Udupi, Dec 15: What was meant to be a post-pilgrimage gathering turned tragic in Padukere village of Brahmavar taluk, Udupi district, late Sunday night, when a clash among youths escalated into a fatal assault, leaving one man dead.

The victim has been identified as 30-year-old Santosh Mogaveera, a resident of Padukere.

According to preliminary information, the incident took place during a late-night drinking party involving a group of local youths who had recently returned after completing their pilgrimage to the Sabarimala shrine. An argument reportedly broke out among the group and soon escalated into a violent confrontation.

During the ensuing brawl, Santosh Mogaveera was allegedly assaulted and collapsed at the spot after sustaining serious injuries. He was rushed by local residents to a private hospital in Brahmavar, where doctors declared him dead.

On receiving information, senior police officials, including Brahmavar Circle Inspector Gopikrishna, Kota Police Sub-Inspector Praveen Kumar T, Station ASI Manthesh Jabagoudar, and head constables Pradeep and Ashok, visited the spot and conducted an inspection.

Police have taken four youths into custody in connection with the incident. A case has been registered at the Kota police station, and further investigation is underway to ascertain the exact sequence of events leading to the death.

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