DGCA seeks report from Air India on Indian cricket team's charter flight
New Delhi, Jul 3: Aviation regulator DGCA has sought a report from Air India on reports that an aircraft that was to operate a scheduled flight has been deployed for flying out the Indian cricket team from Barbados, according to officials.
There have been reports that Air India deployed the aircraft to Barbados that was originally scheduled to operate a scheduled flight from Newark to Delhi, causing difficulties for passengers.
Against this backdrop, a senior official on Wednesday said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has called for a report from Air India.
The T20 World Cup-winning Indian cricket team is expected to arrive in the national capital on Thursday morning. They are coming from Barbados' Grantley Adams International Airport in a chartered flight which has a special call sign - AIC24WC - Air India Champions 24 World Cup.
An Air India official said passengers were not inconvenienced by the deployment of the Boeing 777 aircraft to Barbados.
Most of the passengers who had booked tickets for the Newark to Delhi flight on July 2 were informed in advance. However, some passengers who could not be informed about the flight cancellation turned up at the airport and they were taken by road to New York. Those passengers were accommodated in the flight from New York to Delhi, the official added.
The departure of the cricket team was delayed due to Hurricane Beryl and the chartered flight was arranged by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
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Bengal: Hundreds stage protest over 'threats' by TMC workers
Kolkata (PTI): Demanding safety after counting of votes, hundreds of villagers staged a protest in Falta in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district on Saturday, alleging they were receiving life threats from TMC workers in the area.
The protesters, many of them women and holding BJP flags, blocked the road in Hasimnagar village, alleging that local panchayat pradhan Israfil, a close associate of TMC candidate Jehangir Khan, issued them threats of attacks after poll results are announced.
The CRPF deputy commandant visited the area with a large force and assured the demonstrators of ensuring their safety.
Khan dismissed the allegations and said the women were "deployed" by the BJP to stage the demonstration and engineer the arrest of TMC functionaries in the area before the counting to "harm the morale of the TMC supporters".
"If the charges are proved, I am ready to face the law," he said.
Fatima Bibi, one of the protesters belonging to the BJP's Mahila Morcha, claimed Israfil and his men "have been visiting the area since April 30 and threatening us that there would be bloodshed from May 5. We demand CRPF remain in the area".
The CRPF official said, "We are here to instill confidence among the people with support of the local police, We have assured them of full security."
An Election Commission official said a report has been sought about the protests from the district administration.
