Durgapur flight: DGCA starts probe; SpiceJet says flyers were told to remain seated
New Delhi, May 2: Aviation regulator DGCA on Monday said it has instituted a multidisciplinary team to probe the severe turbulence incident on SpiceJet's Mumbai-Durgapur flight that left 15 people injured.
SpiceJet on Monday said the seat belt sign was on and multiple announcements were made by crew members asking passengers to remain seated on its Mumbai-Durgapur flight on May 1.
The airline also informed that this flight's crew are not being "utilised" pending the investigation.
Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said, "The turbulence encountered by a flight while landing in Durgapur, and the damage caused to the passengers is unfortunate. The DGCA has deputed a team to investigate the incident,"
The matter is being dealt with utmost seriousness and deftness, he said.
"More details on the cause(s) will be shared once the investigation is completed," Scindia noted.
A total of 15 people 12 passengers and three cabin crew members were injured in this flight due to severe turbulence, said officials of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
DGCA chief Arun Kumar told PTI, "We have deputed a multidisciplinary team to carry out regulatory investigation (into this incident)."
On Monday, SpiceJet spokesperson said, "Eleven passengers travelling on SpiceJet flight SG-945 from Mumbai to Durgapur on May 1, which encountered severe turbulence during descent which unfortunately resulted in injuries to a few passengers, were hospitalised."
Eight of those hospitalised have been discharged so far, the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said it is providing all possible help to the injured.
"The seat belt sign was on when the aircraft encountered turbulence. Multiple announcements were made by the pilots and the crew instructed passengers to remain seated and keep their seat belt fastened," the spokesperson mentioned.
Due to severe turbulence, injuries were caused to few passengers, the spokesperson noted.
"Timely medical assistance was provided upon arrival," the spokesperson added.
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Congress using hijab issue to pacify minority anger, alleges Karnataka LoP R Ashoka
Bengaluru: Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashoka has accused the Congress government of using the hijab issue to placate what he described as discontent among minority voters after the Davanagere by-election.
In a post on X on Wednesday, Ashoka alleged that the state government, instead of addressing issues such as price rise, corruption, farmers’ distress and law and order, was attempting to retain its minority vote base by reviving the hijab issue.
Referring to the 2022 dress code introduced by the BJP government, which prohibited hijab in schools and colleges, Ashoka said the Karnataka High Court had upheld the policy and emphasised the importance of discipline in educational institutions.
He questioned the Congress government’s move to revisit the issue and asked whether setting aside the court-backed policy to benefit one community could be described as secularism.
Ashoka further alleged that while the government was willing to permit hijab, it continued to prohibit saffron shawls.
He accused the government of dividing students on religious lines rather than treating schools and colleges as spaces of equality.
Drawing a comparison with Mamata Banerjee’s government in West Bengal, Ashoka claimed that excessive appeasement politics had harmed the state and warned that the Congress in Karnataka could face a similar political response.
He said voters in Karnataka would teach the Congress a lesson for what he termed “vote-bank politics” and for compromising constitutional and judicial principles.
