Passenger smokes ‘beedi’ on Delhi-Goa Akasa Air flight; case registered
Panaji (PTI): Police have registered a case against a passenger for allegedly smoking a 'beedi' inside the toilet of a Delhi-Goa Akasa Air flight, officials said.
The incident occurred on Saturday when the accused Ashish, a Delhi resident, was travelling on flight QP1625 from the national capital to the coastal state, they said.
As per the airline's complaint, the passenger allegedly smoked a 'beedi' (hand-rolled cigarette) inside the plane lavatory during the flight and was also found in possession of a lighter, which could pose a risk to the safety of the aircraft and passengers on board, a police official said on Sunday.
The act endangered the safety of fellow passengers and crew members during the flight, the police said.
ALSO READ: Passenger booked for smoking 'beedi' on Delhi-Goa flight
A case has been registered against the passenger at the Mopa airport police station in Goa under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against Safety of Civil Aviation Act, they said, adding that further investigation is underway.
Akasa Air confirmed the incident and said its crew followed the required protocol.
“A passenger travelling on Akasa Air flight QP1625 from Delhi to Goa on March 7 was found smoking in the aircraft lavatory,” the airline said in a statement.
In line with established safety and regulatory procedures and applicable law, Akasa Air said, its crew “followed the required protocols” and handed over the individual to the appropriate authorities upon arrival in Goa.
The airline said it is extending “full cooperation” to the authorities in the matter.
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Karnataka govt inks pact for Centre of Excellence in Agri & Allied Innovation in Kalaburagi
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government on Monday signed a Memorandum of Agreement with Krishi Kalpa Foundation to establish a Centre of Excellence in Agri and Allied Domain with a rural focused intervention in Kalaburagi, officials said.
The Memorandum of Agreement was signed by the Department of Electronics, Information Technology, Biotechnology and Science &
Technology through the Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society (KITS), they said.
According to official statement, the Centre of Excellence (CoE) will be established under the Local Economy Acceleration Programme (LEAP) — the Government of Karnataka’s flagship Rs 1,000 crore, five-year initiative aimed at accelerating regional innovation, entrepreneurship and technology-led economic growth across emerging clusters beyond Bengaluru.
Building on the government’s earlier announcement of a Centre for Entrepreneurship in Kalaburagi, this agreement formalises the operational framework to establish a dedicated research, innovation and entrepreneurship hub focused on agriculture and allied sectors, with a strong emphasis on rural innovation and technology adoption.
As the implementing partner, NGO Krishi Kalpa Foundation will operationalise the Centre of Excellence and lead its programmatic activities, including innovation programmes, startup support, research initiatives, and capacity-building efforts aligned with the objectives of the Karnataka government, officials said.
The CoE will support research and development, skill development, innovation programmes, and industry–academia partnerships, while helping local innovators build scalable products and enterprises that address challenges across the agricultural value chain, they said.
Speaking on the initiative, IT Minister Priyank Kharge said, "Kalyana Karnataka has immense potential to emerge as a hub for innovation in agriculture and rural enterprise. Through the LEAP programme, the Government of Karnataka is committed to bringing technology, entrepreneurship and opportunity closer to our communities beyond Bengaluru.
"The Centre of Excellence in Kalaburagi will create a strong platform for farmers, startups, researchers and young innovators to collaborate on cutting-edge agri-tech solutions, while strengthening livelihoods and driving sustainable economic growth across the region," he said.
The agreement will remain in force for a period of five years, during which the CoE will work towards building a vibrant rural innovation ecosystem and accelerating technology-led development in agriculture and allied sectors across the Kalyana Karnataka region, officials added.
