US student detained at Chennai Airport for carrying banned satellite phone
Chennai: A 22-year-old American student was detained at Chennai International Airport in the early hours of Thursday after airport security found a banned satellite phone in his luggage. The device, prohibited in India due to national security concerns, was detected during a routine baggage scan as the student prepared to board a flight to Singapore.
The student, identified as Oakley Jackson, had arrived in Chennai from Delhi the previous week on a tourist visa. He was en route to Australia via Singapore on a Scoot Airlines flight scheduled to depart at 12:30 am. Airport officials discovered the satellite phone during final checks before boarding.
Jackson reportedly told officials he was unaware of Indian laws prohibiting satellite phones and claimed he had carried the device from the United States without encountering issues in Delhi or Chennai earlier.
However, airport authorities rejected his explanation. His flight ticket was cancelled, and the device was confiscated. Jackson was handed over to airport police for further questioning. A senior official emphasised that satellite phones can bypass conventional communication systems, making their unauthorised use a potential security threat.
Police are investigating whether the device was used during Jackson’s stay in India and whether he contacted anyone through it. Possession of a satellite phone without prior clearance from the Department of Telecommunications is a punishable offence under Indian law. Authorities have repeatedly advised foreign nationals to declare such equipment and seek necessary permissions before entry.
The US Consulate in Chennai has been informed and is expected to extend consular assistance to Jackson. He remains in custody while the investigation continues. Further action will depend on whether misuse of the device is established.
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AIITA welcomes Karnataka’s ban on obscene songs in school events
Bhatkal: The Karnataka unit of the All India Ideal Teachers Association (AIITA) has welcomed the Karnataka government’s decision to strictly ban school children from dancing to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes in government, aided, and private schools across the state.
AIITA Karnataka State President M. R. Manvi congratulated the government for taking what he termed an important step to preserve the sanctity of education.
“Such decisions to safeguard the dignity of school children and uphold the values of education are the need of the hour. This rule should not be limited to government schools alone but must be strictly implemented in all private educational institutions as well,” he said.
He further urged the government to address other concerns within school programmes.
“The government should not only prohibit obscene dances in the name of school anniversaries, but also ensure that plays and dialogues that incite religious hatred are avoided. Schools should be centres of harmony, not platforms for spreading hatred,” he added.
According to a recent circular issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy, obscene dances are adversely affecting the mental health and moral values of students.
In this regard, schools have been advised to use songs that promote nationalism, positive thinking, the greatness of Kannada culture, and value-based traditions instead of inappropriate content during programmes.
The circular also emphasises that students should be dressed in decent attire.
AIITA also backed the department’s warning that disciplinary action would be taken against head teachers if such guidelines are violated. The association has further demanded that district Deputy Directors of Public Instruction strictly monitor the implementation of these rules.
