Family alleges unjust treatment by Air India staff at Mangalore Airport, writes letter to KCDRC
Mangaluru: In an incident reported at Mangalore Airport (IXE) on March 28, 2024, a family's much-anticipated vacation turned into a nightmare due to alleged mistreatment by Air India check-in staff. Zubair Shiek Usman Saheb, a resident of Bismillah Manzil, Mohalla House, Pranthya Village, Moodbidri, has penned a letter to the Karnataka Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission detailing the traumatic events his family endured.
According to Zubair Saheb's account, his family, comprising his wife and three minor children, arrived punctually at the airport for their journey to Dubai via Air India flight AI 680, scheduled for 7:55 AM (later rescheduled to 8 AM). Despite their timely arrival and adherence to all procedures, they were unexpectedly directed by Air India check-in staff to wrap their already well-conditioned bags additionally.
Reluctantly complying with the staff's directive, the family returned to the counter only to face the shocking denial of their boarding passes, allegedly due to perceived tardiness. Adding to the distress, their flight was a connecting one to Mumbai, where they had another flight to catch. While other passengers proceeded with boarding, Zubair’s family was left stranded, facing an inexplicable denial.
The situation was particularly harrowing for the minor children, who were left in tears and confusion, grappling with the unjustifiable denial of boarding. Zubair highlighted the emotional and psychological toll inflicted upon his family, compounded by the financial losses amounting to a minimum of 63,537.00 INR.
Seeking recourse for the grievances incurred, Zubair Saheb implored the Karnataka Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission to conduct a thorough investigation into the events of that day. He urged the commission to utilize available documentation and CCTV footage to verify the claims and hold Air India accountable for the alleged negligent and unprofessional conduct of its staff.
In his plea for justice, Zubair requested compensation of not less than Rs 10 Lakhs, emphasizing the need for deterrent measures against future instances of misconduct by service providers. He expressed his trust in the impartiality and efficacy of the judicial process, affirming his cooperation in the pursuit of justice.
Zubair also highlighted a perplexing observation that on the same day, their luggage underwent no wrapping scrutiny when they later boarded an Air India Express flight to Dubai from the same airport.
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Mere breakup not enough for abetment to suicide: Delhi HC
New Delhi (PTI): Merely breaking up may not amount to instigation for a case of abetment of suicide under the criminal law, the Delhi High Court has said.
Justice Manoj Jain made the observation while dealing with a bail plea by a man accused of abetting the suicide of his former partner, who hanged herself five days after his marriage to another woman.
Granting bail to the accused, the court observed that the instigation should be of such a nature that leaves the deceased with no option but to commit suicide.
It said only a trial would establish whether the deceased's "extreme step" was on account of provocation, instigation, "merely on account of her being hyper-sensitive girl" or for some other reason.
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In the present case, the court noted, there was no dying declaration, and the parties were in a relationship for around eight years, during which there was no complaint from the deceased.
The court observed there was a considerable time gap between the date when the parties stopped talking and the date of the suicide.
"Apparently, it seems to be a case of a broken relationship and quite possibly, the deceased, having come to know that the applicant has got married to someone else, has chosen to finish herself," the court said in the order passed on February 24.
"Though broken relationship and heartbreaks have become common these days, mere breaking-up of relationship may not per se constitute instigation so as to make it to be a case of abetment under Section 108 BNS (abetment of suicide)," the court order read.
According to the father of the deceased, his daughter had been trapped by the accused, who pressured her to convert to his religion for marriage, and it was under such pressure that his daughter committed suicide by hanging herself with a chunni in October 2025.
The accused was arrested in November 2025.
The court observed that, according to the woman's friends, she was upset, and they never claimed anything on conversion. The accused had stopped talking to her from February 2025 onwards, it said.
According to the order, the man was let out on bail on a personal bond and surety bond of Rs 25,000 each.
The accused submitted that the parties were in a cordial relationship for around eight years, but the woman's parents were against the relationship since they belonged to different religions.
He alleged that it was her parents who forced her to sever the relationship.
