Family offloaded from BA flight over ‘crying 3-yr-old’

Saurabh.Sinha@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:09.08.2018

An Indian family has alleged that a leading European airline offloaded them from the flight because their three-year-old child was crying.

While the child’s mother had managed to comfort the child when the plane was taxiing for take off, the allegedly intimidating behaviour of a cabin crew while asking the child to be seated scared the kid even more and then he started sobbing inconsolably.

The aircraft then returned to the terminal and the Indian family, along with a few other Indians seated behind them, were offloaded.

This alleged racial behaviour took place on British Airways London-Berlin flight (BA 8495) on July 23 with a 1984 batch officer of Indian engineering services currently posted in the road transport ministry and his family.

The joint secretary-level officer has now complained to aviation minister Suresh Prabhu, alleging “humiliation and racial behaviour” by the airline.

A British Airways spokesman said: “We take claims like this extremely seriously and do not tolerate discrimination of any kind. We have started a full investigation and are in direct contact with the customer.”

The officer’s letter to Prabhu says: “After security announcement for seat belt, my wife fastened the seat belt to my three-year-old baby... (Seated on a separate seat) my son felt uncomfortable and started crying. My wife managed to (comfort) him by taking him in her arms…. male crew member approached us and started shouting.. scolded my son to go to his seat...”

“...My son got terrified and started crying (inconsolably). (An)other Indian family sitting behind us offered the child some biscuits to console him. My wife again put the boy on his designated seat and fastened the seat belt even though he kept on crying...,” the letter says.

The aircraft then started taxiing to the runway. “(The) same crew member came again and shouted at my son that ‘you bloody keep quiet otherwise you will be thrown out of the window’ and we would be offloaded. We were petrified,” it adds.

The plane then returned to the terminal. The officer says the crew member called in security personnel to the aircraft who took away their boarding cards and of those seated behind them.

“My family and other Indian family, which had offered biscuits to my son, were offloaded…. nothing was provided to me and my family,” the complaint said. The family then made its own arrangement to travel from London City airport to London and bought expensive tickets to travel to Berlin the next day.

“…the crew member made racist remarks and used words like ‘bloody’ about Indians…. I request to have the matter investigated and take strictest possible action,” he concludes.



‘RACIST’ BEHAVIOUR

Four killed, 52 injured as crowd goes out of control at Rajaji Hall

Team TOI

Chennai:08.08.2018

The grim atmosphere that surrounded Rajaji Hall since early Wednesday as thousands of mourners filed past the coffin of DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi turned tragic when a stampede claimed four lives and left at least 52 others injured. Separately, a man suffered a head injury after he fell from a wall on Wallajah Road when the funeral procession was passing by later.

While Shenbagavalli, 62, of MGR Nagar, and a 60-yearold yet-to-be identified man were declared dead on arrival at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, Saravanan, 37, died at Madras Medical College and Durai, 45, died at the Government Superspecialty Hospital on the Omandurar Government Estate. At 10.45 am, as news of the Madras HC allowing the DMK supremo’s burial on the Marina Beach trickled in, several mourners, until then allowed in batches of 200, broke the barricades and police cordon and rushed towards the venue.


LIFE & DEATH ISSUE: Hundreds of party workers broke through the security cordon at Rajaji Hall resulting in a stampede | PAGES 2-6

All I could see was people running over me: Survivor

Thelaw-enforcers,clearly outnumbered, looked on helplessly. The crowd was also restive at not being able to get close to the former chief minister’s coffin, with the queue being blocked every time a celebrity arrived. Efforts to regulate the crowd went in vain and as many of those in front went down in a heap, police personnel resorted to a mild lathicharge to disperse the crowd and rescue those trapped under. “We can’t deal with them the way we do with the general public. Among the crowd are party cadres and some hooligans,” said a police inspector at the VVIP entrance.

As thousands rushed out in panic, many feeble cries drowned. “I was stuck in between people running, there was no gap to move. All I could see was people running over me,” said Ponnammal, a woman who managed to escape with a few minor injuries.

By 6pm, staff of the Emergency Management Research Institute (EMRI), which had stationed 15 ambulances and 13 first responder bikers outside Rajaji Hall, rushed 51people to various government hospitals. Of the injured, two suffered fractures on the leg caused by barricades falling on them.

Among those still undergoing treatment were Kulandaivelu, 62, of Nilgris; Balakrishnan, 71, of Ambattur; Thangaraj, 60, of MGR Nagar; Jayaraman, 59, of Vellore; Sathya, 50 and Latha, 45, of T Nagar; Kennedy, 55, of Puzhal and Settu, 39, of Kancheepuram.

Paramedical staff said most of those admitted to hospitals were elderly people who had collapsed due to dehydration, after standing for a long time under the hot sun. “It was a particularly hot day and many had had no food or water all day,” said a health department official.

Student’s plea for date of birth change allowed in Tamil Nadu

Hardly a fortnight ago, the Madras High Court held that the date of birth (DoB) of a student cannot be altered at a later stage, as the change would nullify her admission in the first standard and nul

Published: 09th August 2018 02:57 AM

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Hardly a fortnight ago, the Madras High Court held that the date of birth (DoB) of a student cannot be altered at a later stage, as the change would nullify her admission in the first standard and nullify her entire qualification.However, passing orders on a similar petition the same Justice S Vaidyanathan held on the contrary and directed the school education authorities to change the DoB.The judge was disposing of a writ petition from P Poomesh praying for a direction to the respondents to change his DoB in his SSLC and Transfer Certificate from July 5, 2001 to March 5, 1999 as per the birth certificate and Aadhaar card.

The judge said that normally, the court would not grant the relief, that is, changing the DoB from a particular date to another date immediately after admission. Only when a child completes the age of five, he/she may be entitled to admission into the school. The parents, for the purpose of admitting their child into a school, may alter the birth date, that is, by advancing it and admit the child to school.

Later, they approach the authorities and then the court to correct the birth date based on the birth certificate. If such an alteration is going to create a situation where the child could not have entered into school at the age of five, the entire school education is void/nullity.However, in the present case, the petitioner is a physically-disabled person and he is not seeking the postponement of the DoB, but advancing it as per the birth certificate. If the birth date is advanced, it certainly cannot be disadvantageous to him.In any event, advancing the DoB is not going to cause any hindrance to anyone except the petitioner/student. Hence, the DoB may be corrected, the judge said.

Medico’s suicide: Axe falls on college principal, two professors in Andhra Pradesh

The two along with their colleague Dr Ravi Kumar were named by the victim in her complaint to the Governor.
 
Published: 09th August 2018 04:13 AM | 


Medical students wait outside the room where the panel is holding enquiry into the suicide of Shilpa | madhav k

By Express News Service

TIRUPATI: The day after PG medical student Dr Shilpa committed suicide, the committee headed by Director of Medical Education K Babji visited Sri Venkateswara Medical College here and conducted an enquiry with students. The panel decided to transfer Dr Kireety and Dr Sasikumar of Paediatrics Department to Nellore.

The two along with their colleague Dr Ravi Kumar were named by the victim in her complaint to the Governor. The committee also decided to replace college principal Dr N Ramanaiah with Dr Ravi Prabhu and extend the suspension of Dr Ravi Kumar till the completion of the enquiry.
The committee members included Kurnool Government General Hospital Superintend P Chandra Sekhar and HoD, Cardiology, Kurnool Medical College Dr T Jamauana.

Several students confronted the committee and expressed the view that had the DME acted earlier on the report submitted by the committee headed by the college principal, Shilpa would have been alive today.

Power cut scheduled for Thursday in Chennai 

According to an official release, power supply is to be suspended in the following areas on Thursday from 9 am to 4 pm due to maintenance activities.
 
Published: 08th August 2018 04:35 AM | 

Express News Service

CHENNAI: According to an official release, power supply is to be suspended in the following areas on Thursday from 9 am to 4 pm due to maintenance activities. The release added that the supply will be resumed before 4 pm if the works are completed ahead of schedule.Vysarpadi Indl. Estate area: Industrial Estate 1 area, West Cross St (12thto 19 th), 17 to 19 East Central Cross St, East Avenue and Golden Complex.Perambur Siruvallur area : Siruvallur main road, Foxen St, Murugesan St, Munusamy St, Rangasayee St, Market St, Vatchinathan St, Manikkavinayakar Koil St, Beset Road, MH Road one part, Chengalvarayan St, Thulukanathamman Koil St, Moorthy Raja St, Chinnasamy Raja St, Sababathy St, Thiruvenkadam St, Jaganathan, Raja St.

Rajaji Nagar area : Rajaji Nagar (part), Rajamangalam, Baba Nagar (part), North Jaganathan Nagar, Thathan Kuppam (part), Indira Nagar, KK Nagar Vegavathi St.Ayappakam area : ICF colony Main Road, Ayapakkam TNHB I, II; III, Ambattur Road, Kuppam, Kalaivannar Nagar, Melayanambakkam, part of Vanagaram, Ayapakkam - Thiruverkadu Main Road, Bhavani Nagar, Gayathri Nagar, Chelliamman Nagar, Green Garden, Ayappakkam Village, MGR Puram, TG Anna Nagar, TNHB 608; 808 flats, Vijaya Nagar, Ayappan Nagar, Koladi Main Road, PKM St, Sivapadham St.

Velachery area : Vijaya Nagar, Ram Nagar, Gandhi Nagar, Rettai Pillaiyar Koil St, Palaniyappa St.

Redhills area : Kumaran Nagar, Manish Nagar, Bajanai Koil St, Perungavoor, TK Pattu, JJ Nagar, Karikalan St, TH road, Bavani Nagar, Redhills Bus stand.Tondiarpet area : TH Road, GA Road, Solaiappan St, Sanjeevarayan Koil St, Kappal Polu St, Thandavaraya Gramani St; Mudali St, Balu Mudali St, VP Koil St, Ramanuja Iyer St, RK Nagar, Tondiarpet part, Old Washermenpet, Avathana Ramasamy St, Subburayalu St, Kothandaraman St, Srirangammal St, MPM Garden, MS Naidu St, Ullaramman Koil St, Seniamman Koil St.

Villivakkam area: Thiru Nagar, Thirumangalam road, South High Court Colony, New Avadi road, MRH road (partly), Embar Naidu St, Aadi Naidu St, Thiruvenkadiah St, Raja St, Lakshmi St, Lakshmipuram 1,2,3 St.Ayanavaram area : Mettu St, Rangappa St, Papammal St, NMK St, Narayanan St, CK St, Ramanathan St, SS Devar 3,4,5 th St, Rangaih St, Pudhu Nagar, Parathasarathy St.

Stanley area: PWD Office, Military Quarters, Old Jail Road.

Chinnamalai area: Rengarajapuram, Srinagar Colony.
Enjambakkam area : Bharath Avenue, ECR Enjambakkam to Akkarai, Sea Cliff, KK Salai, Copper Beach, Sheashadhri Avenue, Iskcon Temple Road, Vimala Garden, Harama Krishna Road, Rajiv Avenue, TVS Avenue, Akkarai Village, Gunal Garden, Allikulam, Pebble beach.

DGHS NOTIFICATION 2ND ROUND EXTENDED TO 9.8.2018 UPTO 4 PM

கருணாநிதிக்கு மிகப்பெரிய பெருமை: வரலாற்றில் முதல்முறையாக எம்.பி.யாக இல்லாத ஒருவருக்கு நாடாளுமன்றம் ஒத்திவைப்பு

Published : 08 Aug 2018 13:55 IST

பிடிஐ புதுடெல்லி,

 

நாடாளுமன்ற மக்களவே, திமுக தலைவர் மு.கருணாநிதி : கோப்புப்படம்

நாடாளுமன்ற வரலாற்றிலேயே முதல் முறையாக எம்.பி.யாகவோ, அல்லது முன்னாள் எம்.பி.யாகவோ இல்லாத மறைந்த முதல்வர் கருணாநிதிக்காக நாடாளுமன்றத்தின் இரு அவைகளும் முதல்முறையாக நாள்முழுவதும் ஒத்திவைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

திமுக தலைவர் மு.கருணாநிதி கடந்த ஒரு ஆண்டுக்கும் மேலாக உடல்நலக்குறைவால் கோபாலபுரம் இல்லத்தில் சிகிச்சை பெற்று வந்தார். இந்நிலையில் கடந்த மாதம் 28-ம் தேதி ரத்த அழுத்தக் குறைபாடு காரணமாகக் காவேரி மருத்துவமனையில் சிகிச்சைக்காக கருணாநிதி அனுமதிக்கப்பட்டார்.

கடந்த 10 நாட்களுக்கும் மேலாக தீவிர சிகிச்சை அளிக்கப்பட்ட நிலையிலும் முதுமை காரணமாக அவரின் உடல்உறுப்புகள் சிகிச்சைக்கு ஒத்துழைக்க மறுத்ததால், நேற்று மாலை 6.10மணிக்கு அவரின் உயிர் பிரிந்தது.

கருணாநிதியின் மறைவுக்குப் பிரதமர் மோடி நேரில் வந்து அஞ்சலி செலுத்தினார். மேற்கு வங்க முதல்வர் மம்தா பானர்ஜி நேரில் வந்து அஞ்சலி செலுத்தினார். தேசிய தலைவர்கள், மாநிலத் தலைவர்கள் என பலர் இரங்கல் தெரிவித்தும், அஞ்சலி செலுத்தியும் வருகின்றனர்.

இந்நிலையில் திமுக தலைவர் கருணாநிதியின் மறைவுக்கு நாடாளுமன்றத்தின் இரு அவைகளிலும் அஞ்சலி செலுத்தப்பட்டு, இரங்கல் வாசிக்கப்பட்டு அவை ஒத்திவைக்கப்படுவதாக அறிவிக்கப்பட்டது.

இதற்கு முன் நாடாளுமன்றத்தில் உறுப்பினர் அல்லாத ஒருவருக்கும், எம்.பி.யாக இருந்தவருக்கும் இரு அவைகளும் ஒத்திவைக்கப்பட்டது இல்லை. ஆனால், நாடாளுமன்ற வரலாற்றில் முதல்முறையாகக் கருணாநிதி மறைவுக்கு அஞ்சலி செலுத்தும் விதமாக இரு அவைகளும் ஒத்திவைக்கப்பட்டது.

மாநிலங்களவைத் தலைவரும், குடியரசு துணைத் தலைவருமான வெங்கையா நாயுடு அவை கூடியதும் திமுக கருணாநிதி மறைவு குறித்த செய்தியை வாசித்து, இரங்கல் தெரிவித்தார். மேலும், அவையை ஒத்திவைப்பது குறித்து பல்வேறு கட்சிகளின் தலைவர்களுடனும் ஆலோசனை நடத்தி, அவை ஒத்திவைப்பது குறித்து முடிவு செய்து அறிவித்தார்.

கருணாநிதி நாட்டின் தலைசிறந்த தலைவர், உயர்ந்த தலைவர் அவருக்காக நாடாளுமன்றத்தை ஒருநாள் ஒத்திவைப்பதை ஏற்கிறோம் என பல்வேறு கட்சித் தலைவர்களும் தெரிவித்துள்ளனர். இதையடுத்து மாநிலங்களவையை ஒத்திவைப்பதாக வெங்கய்யா நாயுடு அறிவித்தார்.

முன்னதாக, திமுக கருணாநிதி குறித்து புகழாரம் சூட்டி வெங்கையா நாயுடு பேசினார். இளம் வயதிலேயே அரசியலுக்கு வந்து, 13 முறை சட்டப்பேரவை உறுப்பினராகவும், 5 முறை முதல்வராகவும் கருணாநிதி செயல்பட்டவர். அதுமட்டும்லாமல், கலை, இலக்கியம், நாடகம், சினிமா உள்ளிட்ட பல்வேறு துறைகளிலும் தனிமுத்திரை பதித்தவர் கருணாநிதி.

தமிழ்மொழி வளர்ச்சிக்காகவும், தமிழக மக்கள் முன்னேற்றத்துக்காகவும் கடுமையாக உழைத்தவர். அவரின் மறைவு, நாட்டுக்குப் பேரிழப்பு, மிகச்சிறந்த நிர்வாகியை, சமூகத்தொண்டரை, எழுத்தாளரை நாடு இழந்துவிட்டது என்று புகழாரம் சூட்டினார்.

மக்களவை சபாநாயகர் சுமித்ரா மகாஜனிடம் மாநிலங்களவை ஒத்திவைக்கப்பட்டது குறித்தும், கருணாநிதி மறைவு குறித்தும் அறிவிக்கப்பட்டது. மக்களவையிலும் கருணாநிதி மறைவு குறித்து சபாநாயகர் சுமித்ரா மகாஜன் அறிவித்தார். அதன்பின் கருணாநிதி மறைவுக்கு இரங்கல் தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டது.

அப்போது பேசிய நாடாளுமன்ற விவகாரத்துறை அமைச்சர் ஆனந்த் குமார், திமுக தலைவர் கருணாநிதி மறைவுக்கு நாடாளுமன்றத்தின் இரு அவைகளையும் நான் முழுவதும் ஒத்திவைப்பதை அரசு ஏற்கிறது என்று தெரிவித்தார்.

இதையடுத்து, மக்களவையையும் ஒத்திவைப்பதாகச் சபாநாயகர் சுமித்ரா மகாஜன் அறிவித்தார்.