New Delhi, Feb 1: It was quite a catch for officials at the Chennai airport who seized milk cartons, coffee boxes, in-flight meals, juice packets, cashew nuts, whiskey bottles and much more from an Air India (AI) cabin crew member whom they had been patiently waiting for following a tip-off.
Despite airline’s new chairman and managing director Ashwani Lohani warning of strict action against those caught pilfering, not much seems to have changed in the national carrier. On January 27, AI’s vigilance officials had received a tip-off about a woman cabin crew member arriving from an international flight (AI 274) from Colombo.
When the member’s baggage was screened, vigilance and customs officials could not believe what they saw.
“It appeared that she had brought with her anything and everything she could lay her hands on inside the plane,” said a senior official. “She has been taken off the roster and an inquiry has been ordered,” said an AI spokesperson.
An official said, “She had operated the Chennai-Colombo-Delhi flight with a night halt at Delhi and did Delhi-Colombo-Chennai. She was caught after she landed in Chennai.”
Aviation expert Rajji Rai said, “Anything on board is company property. It’s high time Air India had a zero-tolerance policy on anybody caught stealing.”
The aviation ministry had informed Parliament of several cases a couple of years ago, which included a flight purser being caught by customs at the Delhi airport while trying to take out 372 mini liquor bottles from the aircraft and missing caviar tins costing Rs 20,200 from a special charter flight found in possession of catering officer among others.
The kidnapped schoolboy was rescued by the police and reunited with his parents. Son of a gift shop owner from Basavanagudi area in Bengaluru, Chirag has reportedly told police that decided to make some quick money to spend on cricket betting and gambling after learning kidnap tricks from the ‘Crime Patrol’. According to police, Chirag reached a private school around 3pm on Tuesday on a Bounce rental bike and zeroed in on a fourth standard student who was walking out of school. He told the boy he was his father's friend and that he required help to search for a relative who had gone missing. The boy believed Chirag and rode pillion on the bike. Chirag then engaged the boy in conversation and learnt about his father's business and got his mobile phone number. He then made a call to the boy's father, demanded Rs 5 lakh and warned him against approaching cops. However, the boy's father alerted Cottonpet police and special teams were formed to crack the case. While Cottonpet inspector Venkatesh TC's squad verified CCTV footage in and around the school, Chamarajpet inspector BG Kumaraswamy's team started tracking the suspect's mobile phone movements. An hour later, the suspect's location was traced to a hotel on the Lavelle Road-St Mark's Road stretch. Police rushed there, rescued the boy and arrested Chirag.
Comments
Why CD wants to publish such news of food stealing.
Who gives if a food has been stolen. You know ladies will be more attracted towards different taste of food. it is common.
You should focus on the serious news of interest of people like news from Gov't., in and outside the country. Show the leaders who are corrupt, looting, stealing the people, country.
Show those who are polarizing the community, creating disharmony.
The media plays a major roll, if it wishes it can change the mentality of people and govt.
Acche din aagay
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