T20 world champions India finally depart from Barbados
Bridgetown (Barbados) Jul 3: The T20 World Cup-winning Indian cricket team finally departed for Delhi aboard a charter flight from the Grantley Adams International airport on Wednesday after being stranded here for three days due to a category 4 hurricane.
The Air India special charter flight AIC24WC -- Air India Champions 24 World Cup -- took off around 4:50am local time and will land in the Indian national capital on Thursday at around 6:20 am (IST).
"Coming home," posted India captain Rohit Sharma on Instagram, posing with the trophy in the aircraft before it took off.
The Indian squad, its support staff, the players' families and some board officials are aboard the flight along with members of the travelling media contingent. The flight has been arranged by the BCCI.
The side won the title after pulling off a thrilling seven-run win over South Africa in the final on Saturday.
The Boeing 777, which took off from New Jersey, USA on July 2, landed in Barbados around 2am local time and the airport staff here stated that they had not seen a bigger plane land at the Grantley Adams International airport, which resumed its operations on Tuesday.
"Air India managed to send a flight on a charter basis in close coordination with the BCCI officials to bring the players home. Fortunately, this aircraft could be made available after accommodating the passengers due to fly from Newark to Delhi in another Air India flight," a source close to the developments said.
"These passengers could have been inconvenienced but would have wholeheartedly supported the change to ensure our champions come back."
The players are set to be felicitated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi within hours of returning to the country. Plans are also afoot to have a road show in Mumbai to honour the triumphant players, who ended a trophy drought of 11 years.
Earlier, the Indian team was scheduled to leave around 6pm local time on July 2 and arrive at 7.45pm (IST) on Wednesday but the departure was delayed as the plane landed late here.
Hurricane Beryl is now headed towards Jamaica.
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Anyone speaking in favour of Pakistan is wrong, it amounts to treason: Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said that anyone speaking in favour of Pakistan is wrong and it amounts to treason.
He however said that inquiry is on in connection with alleged "mob lynching" of a man, accused of of shouting 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogan, in Mangaluru.
"If the Pakistan Zindabad slogan was shouted, it is wrong, whoever it is. Inquiry is still going on, a case has been registered, let the report come. It will be clear as to what action should be taken against whom," Siddaramaiah said, responding to a question by reporters on killing of a person in Mangaluru allegedly for shouting 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogan.
"If anyone speaks in favour of Pakistan, it is wrong, it is treason," he added.
Home Minister G Parameshwara said, a person was "lynched" in Mangaluru, and while interogating those behind the incident, they have claimed that the victim shouted 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogan.
"It is being further investigated. Only those arrested said this. Nearly 20 people have been arrested now. Police are also finding out about the person (deceased) and his origins. We have taken the incident seriously. Further investigations are on and there were many people who had gone to play the cricket match. They are all being questioned to gather information. Investigation is very serious," he said.
When asked if the deceased person was from Kerala's Wayanad, Parameshwara said, there is such information and it needs to be verified, by establishing his identity and contacting his parents.
To a question, were there any failure on the part of the police as there are reports that they allegedly tried to project it as suicide initially, he said, "We have no such information. If any such thing is there it will come out from the investigation. If any police failures are identified, appropriate action will be taken,"
The Home Minister assured that the case has been taken seriously and there should be no apprehensions that it is being taken lightly.
However, according to police, the deceased has been identified as Ashraf from Pulpalli village in Sultan Bathery Taluk of Wayanad district in Kerala.
The incident had happened during a local cricket match near the Bhatra Kallurti temple in Kudupu village on the outskirts of Mangaluru, on April 27, police said.
Ashraf was allegedly assaulted with sticks, resulting in multiple injuries that led to internal bleeding and shock, police said adding he was declared dead at the hospital.
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