MANGALURU: The parking contractor at Mangaluru International Airport (MIA) has been slapped with a fine of Rs 2,58,500 after a video clip of a customer being charged Rs 5 in excess went viral. The contractor was also made to offer the service by not charging any parking fee on Tuesday. 

In the video clip, a customer questions a parking lot staffer for charging him Rs 60 for parking his car while the actual fee is Rs 55 and threatens to complain. The staffer dares him to complain by showing him his ID card. The incident triggered an outrage in social media with people slamming the MIA authorities for their failure to check such incidents.

MIA Director V V Rao slapped the fine on SS Enterprises — the parking contractor. He told reporters that the incident took place about two months ago. It was for the third time that they have received such a complaint. “On first two occasion, the operator was let off with a fine of a few thousand rupees. This time, we decided to fine him 10% of the monthly licence fee,” he said.

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Ranchi: Champai Soren, a prominent figure in Jharkhand’s statehood movement, is contesting the 2024 assembly elections from Seraikela, a seat he has consistently held since 1991.

However, there is a surprising shift in his political journey this year. Having resigned from the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) earlier this year, Soren is now representing the BJP, a move that could significantly impact the electoral dynamics in the state.

Soren’s switiching is seen as a strategic benefit for the saffron party, which has been working to expand its appeal among Jharkhand’s tribal communities, a demographic traditionally aligned with the JMM. His departure from the JMM, led by Shibu Soren and his son Hemant Soren, was fueled by dissatisfaction with the state government’s policies, which he claimed had failed to address tribal concerns.

Also known as "Jharkhand’s Tiger" for his instrumental role in the statehood movement of the 1990s, Champai Soren has respect and influence among tribal voters. His decision to switch the party could be a turning point in the BJP’s efforts to gain a stronger hold in a state where tribal votes often decide the outcome.