BJP won't forget sacrifice of disqualified Cong, JD(S) MLAs: Revenue Minister

Mangaluru, Jan 25: Hotelier Samtappa reportedly committed suicide by consuming poison in Kadaba taluk in the district on police said on Saturday.

The deceased was running a hotel named Hotel Samtappa here.

Kochi/Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 7: The Managing Director of Muthoot Finance company was injured after miscreants allegedly pelted his car with stones here on Tuesday morning following which one person was reportedly taken into custody.

George Alexander Muthoot, who suffered head injury has been admitted to a private hospital, police said.

A section of employees have been agitating against the Muthoot management over dismissal of 160 staff from the company's 43 branches across the state in December.

The protest is being held under the aegis of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU).

While the Muthoot management alleged that "CITU goons" were behind the attack that occurred at around 9 am in front of IG office here, the union leaders have maintained that they have no role in the incident.

Reacting to the incident, Labour Minister T P Ramakrishnan said he does not think any of the Muthoot employees were behind the attack.

"The employees were protesting peacefully. Violence is not part of their protest. Even now, in today's incident, I don't think any of the Muthoot employees attacked the MD.

However, it was the management of the company which had always provoked them by not implementing the decisions taken at conciliatory meetings," the Minister said.

If the management was prepared to change its stance, all the issues would be resolved, he said.

CITU leader Ananthavattom Anandan told reporters that they do not believe in such type of violent mode of agitation.

An official of the Confederation of Indian Industries Kerala chapter condemned the incident, saying "it is a matter of great concern".

Well known businessman and founder chairman and CEO of V-Guard Industries, Kochouseph Chittilappilly condemned the attack and said it was unfortunate that such incidents still continue in the state.

“Earlier also such incidents have taken palace. It's highly condemnable. The union leaders will now claim that the incident took place without their knowledge. But without the backing of union, such incidents will never happen,” he said.

Kerala-headquartered Muthoot Finance is the largest gold financing company in India.

Mangaluru, Jun 19: A repatriation flight from Doha brought 178 passengers to Mangaluru today. This is the first flight operated from Qatar to Mangaluru under the Vande Bharat Mission. 

The Air India Express flight, which took off from Hamad International Airport in Doha at 12 noon (Qatar time) landed at Mangaluru International Airport around 6.30 pm IST.

Indian embassy had prepared the list of passengers to be flown in the flight. Stranded people who were in need of emergency repatriation such as pregnant women, senior citizens and those in need of emergency medical treatment were given priority while finalising the list of passengers. 

Kannadiga organisations in Qatar such as Karnataka Sangha, Tulu Kuta Qatar, Karnataka Muslim Welfare Association, Mangalore Cricket Club, Bunts Qatar, Mangalore Cultural Association, South Canara Muslim Welfare Association, Qatar Billawas had been striving for the repatriation of stranded Kannadigas by exerting pressure on the elected representatives to operate flights. 

Kannadigas in Qatar have thanked former Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP Jayaprakash Hegde for persuading the authorities concerned to facilitate the repatriation.