PFI stages protests in Mangaluru, other parts of DK against Jharkhand ban

coastaldigest.com news network
February 23, 2018

Mangaluru, Feb 23: Hundreds of activists of Popular Front of India on Friday converged in front of the office of deputy commissioner in Mangaluru to register their protest against Jharkhand’s BJP-led government’s decision to ban the outfit in the eastern state.

The protesters rubbished the Jharkhand government’s charge that PFI has connections to the so called Islamic State, a dreaded terror outfit, a blatant lie.

Raising slogans against the chief minister Narendra Modi–led union government and chief minister Raghubar Das –led Jharkhand government, the agitators said that it was Sangh Parivar that indulged in anti-national and terror activities, and not PFI.

Speaking on the occasion, Yasir Hasan, Karnataka state general secretary of PFI, said that his organisation is a hope for the downtrodden and deprived communities, backward classes and minorities in India. 

He said that PFI would continue its agitation and counter the Jharkhand government’s decision legally.  He said PFI always believed and subscribed to the values of democracy and secularism fought for the rights of deprived classes.

SDPI DK district president Athaullah Jokatte, DK district Imam’s council president Rafeeq Darimi, PFI DK district general secretary Abdul Khader were present among others. 

Protests in other parts of DK

The PFI activists staged similar protests in other parts of Dakshina Kannada districts too. The Bantwal and Farangipete units of PFI staged a protest in front of Mini Vidhana Saudha in BC Road. 

Addressing the protesters, PFI district committee member Ashraf Machar said that since 2015 PFI has been a headache for the BJP govt in Jharkhand because they raised voice against its misrule. Unable to counter PFI, the government imposed ban on it, he said.

Another protest was held at Vittla junction. PFI Bantwal taluk president Imthiyaz Ahmed, speaking on the occasion, called Sangh Parivar an anti-national organisation. “Sangh Parivar should be banned in India and not PFI,” he said, adding that PFI will strengthen its presence in Jharkhand in coming days.

The Jharkhand govt’s claim

In a statement, the Jharkhand government on February 20 said: "The state has banned the Popular Front of India, which is active in Jharkhand, under the Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1908. The Home Department had recommended the ban."  

"The PFI is very active in Pakur district. The members of the PFI, which was set up in Kerala, are influenced by the IS. According to Home Department report, some PFI members have even gone to Syria from southern states and are working for the IS," the government’s statement added. 

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News Network
December 2,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 2: Mangaluru International Airport responded to a medical emergency late on Monday night. Air India Express flight IX 522, travelling from Riyadh to Thiruvananthapuram, was diverted to Mangaluru Airport after a passenger in his late 30s experienced a medical emergency on board.

The Airport’s Operations Control Centre received an alert regarding the passenger’s health condition. The airport activated its emergency response protocol, mobilising the airport medical team and coordinating with stakeholders including CISF, immigration, and customs. 

Upon landing, airport medical personnel attended to the passenger, assessed his condition, and arranged to shift him to a local tertiary-care hospital for further treatment. The passenger’s relatives accompanied the passenger, who incidentally received necessary medical care on board, which helped stabilise the situation.

Following the handling of the emergency, the flight departed for Thiruvananthapuram at 2:05 am on Tuesday.

"We appreciate the cooperation of all parties involved, and this incident reaffirms our ongoing commitment to prioritising passenger safety and readiness to respond to unforeseen emergencies with professionalism and care," the Airport spokesperson said. 

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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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News Network
December 5,2025

Mangaluru: In a significant step to curb online hate and intimidation, Mangaluru City Police have registered a suo motu case against multiple Instagram accounts accused of circulating alleged provocative and threatening content.

While monitoring social media activity on Tuesday, Kankanady Town PSI Anitha Nikkam identified the Instagram handle ‘team_targetttt_900’ for posting a hate message alongside images of lethal weapons. Another account, ‘team_nagara_900’, allegedly shared a threatening post targeting activist Bharath Kumdelu, tagging additional pages such as KARAVALI-OFFICIAL.

Several other accounts — including ‘immu_bhai.fan’, ‘target_boy_900’, ‘kings_of_manglore’, ‘team_target_boys.900’, ‘arshad_mangalore’, ‘target_ka19_ullal’, ‘team_target__’, ‘troll_tigersz_900’, ‘tr_group_900’, and ‘team_target_900’ — are also under scrutiny for spreading similar inflammatory material, police said.

Authorities have urged citizens, especially young social media users, to report suspicious pages and avoid engaging with groups that glorify violence or threaten individuals. Online hate can quickly escalate into real-world harm, and police stress that sharing or promoting such content can attract legal consequences.

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