Mangaluru, Feb 15: Mangaluru city police have arrested four inter-state peddlers for attempting to sell ambergris (sperm whale vomit) worth Rs 2.2 crore at Jeppinamogaru under the limits of Kankanady town police station limits.

The arrested have been identified as M A Jabir (35) and L K Shabad (27) from Kodagu and V P Asir (36) and N Sharief (32) from Hosdurg in Kasaragod district of Kerala, deputy commissioner of police (law and order) Hariram Shanker said.

They were arrested from a vacant land at Jeppinamogaru while attempting to sell ambergris to customers.

Police have also seized five mobile phones, a car and Rs 1,070 in cash from the accused. The total value of seized items including ambergris is estimated at Rs 2,25,92,070.

Ambergris, also known as grey amber, is a substance produced in the digestive system of sperm whales, which is mostly used in the perfume industry.

The accused have been booked under various sections of the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972.

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New Delhi (PTI): Air India Express will set up an external committee next week to inquire into the incident of one of its off-duty captain assaulting a passenger at the Delhi airport on Friday, sources said.

Soon after the incident on Friday, the Tata Group-owned airline suspended the pilot and the sources told PTI that a show cause notice has also been served to him seeking an explanation.

The proceedings are being carried under the labour laws as a pilot comes under the workmen category. An external inquiry committee will set up next week to probe the incident, the sources said.

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The incident occurred at Terminal 1 (T1) of the Delhi airport on Friday.

The passenger Ankit Dewan, on Friday, shared his experience in a social media post, along with a photo showing blood on his face after the altercation. He also shared a photo of the pilot Virender Sejwal.

On Saturday, the civil aviation ministry said it has taken serious cognizance of the incident and directed the airline to ground the pilot with immediate effect.

"A formal enquiry has been ordered. Detailed reports have been sought from BCAS and CISF," the ministry had said in a post on X in a response to a post by Dewan.

In a statement on Friday, Air India Express said it is aware of an incident at the Delhi airport involving one of its employees, who was travelling as a passenger on another airline, and had an altercation with another passenger.

"We unequivocally condemn such behaviour. The employee concerned has been removed from official duties with immediate effect, pending investigation.

"Appropriate disciplinary action will be initiated based on the findings of the inquiry," the airline had said.

Air India Express officials had also contacted the passenger.