Tag: New York

Air India Flight incident

FIR Registered Against Man Who Urinated On Woman In Flight

By LokMarg

Air India on Wednesday said it has imposed a 30-day flying ban on a passenger who had allegedly urinated on an elderly co-passenger during a New York-Delhi flight in November last year and Delhi Police has registered an FIR over the shocking incident.

While the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) also launched an investigation, Air India has set up an internal panel to probe whether there were lapses on part of the crew in addressing the situation that caused distress to the woman.

The National Commission for Women has taken cognisance of the incident onboard the Air India flight in which the inebriated male passenger also flashed his private parts at the elderly woman.

The Commission has sought a detailed action taken report within seven days from the Delhi Police Commissioner over the incident.

Air India said as a first part, it has banned the passenger for 30 days, the maximum it is permitted to unilaterally do so.

The airline said it has taken very serious note of the incident that caused extreme distress to a passenger.

“Air India has taken a very serious note of the incident, where a passenger behaved in an unacceptable and undignified manner on the New York-Delhi flight that caused extreme distress to a fellow passenger. A police complaint has already been lodged in this case and Air India is committed to assisting the law enforcement agencies as well as regulatory authorities to ensure that justice is delivered to the aggrieved passenger,” an Air India spokesperson said, adding that they have reported the matter to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for further action.

“We have also constituted an internal committee to probe lapses on the part of Air India’s crew and address the deficiencies that delayed quick redressal of the situation. We are also in regular contact with the aggrieved passenger and her family during the investigation and reporting process,” the spokesperson added.

The Delhi Police has registered the FIR under sections 354, 509, 510 of the Indian Penal Code and 23 of the Indian Aircraft Act against the man.

The police said the incident occurred on November 26 and the airline concerned (Air India) approached the police after a month and two days, i.e., on December 28.

In her letter to the chairman of the Board of Tata Sons, N Chandrasekaran, the woman passenger, who is in her seventies, called the flight experience extremely traumatic and expressed deep disappointment over the incident in the business class section of the flight.

In her letter, the woman said the ‘appalling incident’ occurred shortly after the lunch was served and the lights were switched off, as she was getting ready to sleep. The flight had taken off from John F Kennedy international airport in New York.

She said that within minutes, an inebriated male walked to her seat and unzipped his pants, relieving himself and continued to expose his private parts until another passenger asked him to return to his seat.

“During the course of the flight, shortly after lunch was served and the lights were switched off, I was getting ready to sleep, and another passenger walked to my seat completely inebriated. He unzipped his pants, relieved himself, and continued to expose me to his private parts. The passenger sitting next to me asked him to return to his seat. He did not respond immediately, but after a few moments left the area,” her letter said.

The country’s aviation regulator the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said that it has sought a report of the incident from the airline and said “action will be taken against those negligent.”

NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma wrote Delhi Comissioner of Police Sanjay Arora that strict action should be taken against the culprit for “causing mental trauma to an elderly woman”.

“NCW has come across several media reports wherein it has been alleged that a drunken man urinated on a woman co-passenger in an Air India flight in November and left without facing any action. It has also been reported that after urinating, the man allegedly didn’t move until another passenger asked him to leave. The woman had complained to the crew, however, the crew allegedly gave her a set of pyjamas and slippers and told her to return to her seat, claiming no other seat was available,” the NCW statement said.

The Commission said it has also written to the Air India Chairman to take appropriate action against the culprit.

“The Commission has taken cognizance of the matter. Chairperson Rekha Sharma has written to the Commissioner of Police, Delhi to immediately register FIR in the matter under relevant provisions of law and to take strict action against the culprit for causing mental trauma to an elderly woman. The Commission has also written to the Chairman, Air India Limited to intervene in the matter and to take appropriate action against the culprit for the horrendous behaviour of an elderly woman on a flight and violating her right to live a life of dignity and safety,” the national women’s panel said.

“A detailed action taken in the matter must be communicated to the Commission within seven days,” the NCW added. (ANI)

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Punjab and Delhi airports SFJ

Man Flashes, Urinates On Woman Passenger Onboard NY-Delhi Flight, DGCA Seeks Report

By LokMarg

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched an investigation into an incident aboard an Air India flight in which a co-passenger urinated over a senior citizen travelling in business class and exposed his private parts to her on a flight from New York to Delhi.

The incident reportedly took place on November 26 on the Air India flight from John F Kennedy international airport in New York to Delhi and a written complaint, by a woman passenger in her 70s, stated that her male co-passenger was in a fully inebriated state and had walked up to her seat, unzipped his pants and relieved himself. He also exposed his private parts to her.

The country’s aviation regulator the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Wednesday said that it has sought a report of the incident from the airline and said: “action will be taken against those negligent.”

Air India has also lodged a police complaint in connection with the case.

Speaking to ANI, an Air India official said, “Air India has lodged a police complaint regarding the incident which took place on November 26 when the flight was on its way from JFK to Delhi.”

Air India has also formed an internal committee that recommended that the male passenger be placed on a “no-fly list,” the official said.

Delhi Police has said that an FIR will be filed under the Indian Penal Code 354 (a) molestation and can also add section 506 criminal intimidation and IPC 290.

In her letter to the Chairman of the Board of Tata and Sons, N Chandrasekaran, the woman passenger said called the flight experience extremely traumatic and expressed deep disappointment over the incident that took place in the business class section of the flight.

In her letter, the woman said that the appalling incident took place shortly after lunch was served and the lights were switched off, as she was getting ready to sleep.

Within minutes, an inebriated male walked to her seat and unzipped his pants, relieved himself, and continued to expose his private parts until another passenger asked him to return to his seat.

“I am writing to express my deep disappointment regarding the appalling incident that occurred during my business class trip on flight AI102 (commencing in NY, JFK yesterday 26th November at 12.30 pm, and arriving this afternoon in New Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport at approximately 1.30 pm). This has been the most traumatic flight that I have ever experienced. During the course of the flight, shortly after lunch was served and the lights were switched off, I was getting ready to sleep, and another passenger walked to my seat completely inebriated. He unzipped his pants, relieved himself, and continued to expose me to his private parts. The passenger sitting next to me asked him to return to his seat. He did not respond immediately, but after a few moments left the area,” the letter read.

The woman passenger, in the letter, also highlighted that when asked for a change of seat, the airline refused and informed her there were no seats available. She also complained about being alloted a small seat used by the airline staff, by one of the senior stewardesses.

The woman passenger was later given a steward’s seat where she sat for the remaining journey of about 5 hours.

“I subsequently learned from a fellow passenger that several seats were available in First Class and he suggested to the crew that I be moved into one of those rather than being forced to sit in a soiled seat. Clearly, the crew did not feel that taking care of a distressed passenger was a priority]. At the end of the flight, the staff told me they would get me a wheelchair to ensure that I clear customs as early as possible. However, the wheelchair deposited me at a waiting area, where I waited for 30 minutes, and nobody came to get me. I finally had to clear customs on my own and collected the luggage by myself – all in Air India pyjamas and socks,” the complaint letter added as the female passenger called the Air India crew deeply unprofessional.

In the letter, the woman passenger stated that the crew was not proactive in managing a very sensitive and traumatic situation and she had to advocate for herself throughout, waiting for long periods of time to get a response.

“I am particularly distressed that the Airline made no attempt to ensure my safety or comfort during this incident. Given your reputation for excellence in other aspects of your business, I hope that you will take appropriate steps to ensure that this will never be repeated,” she said. (ANI)

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Winter Storm US

Death Toll Rises To 26 As Winter Storm Sweeps US

By LokMarg

The death toll of people killed has risen to 26 as frosty winters continue to sweep large parts of the US, The Hill reported on Sunday.

As a consequence of the Arctic blast and the winter storm, numerous people have died as a consequence of weather-related road accidents or the cold.
Buffalo, N.Y. has been the hardest impacted city in the country, with at least seven people confirmed deceased as a result of the storm. As of 7 a.m. Sunday, the National Weather Service reported 43 inches of snow at Buffalo’s airport, The Hill reported.

The storm has sent temperatures well below freezing across the US and has destroyed Christmas eve for many. As it pounded regions, the storm delivered hurricane-force winds and whiteout conditions.

All kinds of transportation – planes, trains, and vehicles – were disrupted due to the storm this holiday weekend, closing hundreds of miles of road and air travel cancellations.

Total flight delays within, into, or out of the US amounted to about 4,000 as of Saturday morning, according to flight tracking website FlightAware, which showed that total US flight cancellations stood at around 2,000, as per CNN.

Plummeting temperatures were predicted to bring the coldest Christmas Eve on record to several cities from Pennsylvania to Georgia.

In New York, flooding along the Long Island Rail Road forced part of the Long Beach branch to temporarily shut down. (ANI)

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Huge Marijuana Compound Coming Up In New York Soon

By LokMarg

The state of New York is all set to get a massive weed compound!

According to New York Post, a large compound spread across 433,000 square feet where marijuana will be cultivated will be built in the state of New York.
New York Post quoted a Real Deal report according to which, the marijuana compound will be built in Hudson. A medical marijuana company Cresco Labs marked the start of construction last week with a ceremony.

The company is based out of Chicago. The upcoming compound in New York will be used for cannabis cultivation, processing, packaging, and distribution.

According to New York Post, 75 full-time employees will be employed throughout the first phase to renovate the standing building. More than 375 individuals will construct a new one in the second stage.

The news comes at a point when New York is struggling to open its first legal dispensaries open across the state.

Ahead of state-approved operations, illegal smoke businesses have gained popularity, especially in New York’s Manhattan.

Although it is still illegal to sell cannabis without a license, enforcement of the law mostly stopped ever since the state legalized marijuana for recreational use in March last year. (ANI)

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Rushdie Sight In One Eye

Rushdie Loses Sight in an Eye, Function in a Hand After Stabbing

By LokMarg

Renowned author Salman Rushdie has lost eyesight in one of his eyes and use of one of his hands, media reports said quoting the author’s agent as saying.

Rushdie, 75, was stabbed on stage at the Chautauqua Institution on August 12. He was airlifted to a hospital in northwestern Pennsylvania and underwent surgery. He also suffered a damaged liver and severed nerves in an arm and an eye reported Fox News.

Rushdie’s agent Andrew Wylie told a Spanish daily newspaper El Pais, “[His wounds] were profound, but he’s [also] lost the sight of one eye … He had three serious wounds in his neck. One hand is incapacitated because the nerves in his arm were cut. And he has about 15 more wounds in his chest and torso. So, it was a brutal attack.”

However, Wylie did not make it clear whether Rushdie was still recovering in the hospital. He rather noted the importance of the fact he is going to survive.

Hadi Matar, the man accused of stabbing renowned author Salman Rushdie on stage in New York state on August 12, pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted murder and assault.

Matar, 24, made the plea in a courtroom in Chautauqua County, New York, CNN reported. This comes after prosecutors said a grand jury had indicted him.

Chautauqua County District Attorney Jason Schmidt reportedly noted that Matar might have been motivated by a USD 3 million bounty placed on Rushdie by the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini of Iran, said the media portal.

The suspect, who hails from New Jersey, allegedly stabbed the Indian-born British author in western New York state during a lecture, praised Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini, and admitted that he didn’t think that the author would survive.

“When I heard he survived, I was surprised, I guess,” Hadi Matar said as quoted by the New York Post. The suspect was asked whether he was inspired by the late Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who issued a fatwa against Rushdie over his book ‘The Satanic Verses.

Matar replied, “I respect the Ayatollah. I think he’s a great person. That’s as far as I will say about that,” Matar said, noting he only “read like two pages” of Rushdie’s controversial novel. “I read a couple of pages. I didn’t read the whole thing cover to cover,” he said.

Rushdie has long faced death threats over his 1988 book ‘The Satanic Verses. The Booker prize-winning author was attacked as he was about to give a lecture.

Rushdie has suffered years of death threats over the ‘The Satanic Verses’ which was severely criticized by Islamic clerics. (ANI)

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New York City Public School Holiday On Diwali

New York City Announces Public School Holiday On Diwali From 2023

By LokMarg

Diwali will be a holiday for the New York City public school starting next year in 2023, Mayor Eric Adams announced on Thursday.

Adams, joined by New York Assembly Member Jenifer Rajkumar, who had introduced the legislation to recognize Diwali and New York City Schools Chancellor David Banks, CNN reported.
Legislators swapped out Anniversary Day, better known to old-timers as “Brooklyn-Queens Day,” which is celebrated on the first Thursday in June, for Diwali in the public school calendar.

Anniversary Day has reportedly been on the books since 1829, with schools observing the holiday since the mid-1900s, New York Post reported.

Addressing a press conference, Rajkumar said, “The time has come to recognize over 200,000 New Yorkers of the Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, and Jain faiths who celebrate Diwali, the Festival of Lights.”

She called Anniversary Day “an obscure and antiquated day,” as compared to Diwali, which is celebrated by a “growing number of New Yorkers,” reported CNN.

“People have said that there’s simply not enough room in the New York City school calendar to have a Diwali school holiday,” the assemblywoman said. “Well, my legislation makes the room.”

Rajkumar further added that the new school schedule will still have 180 days, as is required by the state’s education laws.

During the conference, Adams called the decision a “long overdue” acknowledgment of Hindu, Sikh, Jain, and Buddhist communities, according to CNN.

“We are going to encourage children to learn about what is Diwali,” Adams said. “We’re going to have them start talking about what it is to celebrate the Festival of Lights, and how you turn a light on within yourself,” he added.

“When we take this period to acknowledge Diwali, we’re acknowledging the light that is within us, the light that clearly can push away the darkness,” the mayor said. (ANI)

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Harnaaz

Harnaaz Meets Priyanka At Global Citizen Event In NY

By LokMarg

Miss Universe 2021 Harnaaz Kaur Sandhu, on Sunday shared a picture featuring former Miss World Priyanka Chopra Jonas on social media.

Taking to her Instagram handle, Harnaaz dropped a picture from the meet-up with Priyanka.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Ci6jSnDDoj_/

Harnaaz meets the ‘Bajirao Mastani’ actor at the Global Citizen Festival.

In the picture, Harnaaz could be seen standing next to the 40-year-old actor, who was dressed in a white crop top that she paired with an abstract printed shrug and trousers.

On the other hand Miss Universe was seen wearing a black tee that she teamed up printed blazer and blue flared pants.

They were also accompanied by two girls in the picture.

Sharing the picture, Harnaaz wrote, “I couldn’t have asked for us to meet in any other way. Thanks @priyankachopra for your kindness at @glblctzn … you killed it!”

As soon as the picture was posted, the fans and industry friends chimed into the comment section.

Former Miss World reacted with a heart and smile with red heart emojis.

One of the users wrote, “ICONIC.”

Another comment reads, “It happened!!!!! Two influential woman creating history and making India so proud.”

Harnaaz is the first Indian woman to secure the Miss Universe win in 21 years after Lara Dutta won the pageant in 2000.

22-year-old defeated contestants from 79 countries to bring home the title. The 70th Miss Universe 21 was held in Eilat, Israel.

Harnaaz, who belongs to Chandigarh, Punjab, has previously bagged numerous pageant titles including LIVA Miss Diva Universe 2021 and Femina Miss India Punjab 2019.

Priyanka is the UNICEF global goodwill ambassador. She has been working with the organisation for more than a decade now. Recently, she addressed the United Nations General Assembly and spoke in depth about the problems the world is currently facing.

Meanwhile, on the work front, Priyanka will be seen in international projects such as ‘It’s All Coming Back To Me’, and the series ‘Citadel’. Produced by Russo Brothers, ‘Citadel’ will hit the OTT on Prime Video. The upcoming sci-fi drama series is being directed by Patrick Morgan and stars Richard Madden alongside Priyanka.

In Bollywood, she will be starring with Alia Bhatt and Katrina Kaif in Farhan Akhtar’s ‘Jee Le Zaraa’, which promises to be another tale of friendship following the lineage of ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ and ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’, both of which have become cult classics over the years. ‘Jee Le Zaraa’ is reportedly going on floors around September 2022 and will be ready for release in the summer of 2023. (ANI)

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blinken

Need for Peace And Stability In Taiwan Strait: Blinken

By LokMarg

Amid the tension between US and China, Secretary of State Antony Blinken met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Friday and stressed for preserving peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

Blinken, who is in New York to attend the 77th sessions of UNGA, “stressed that preserving peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is critical to regional and global security and prosperity,” State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement.
Over an hour-long meeting, Blinken emphasized that the United States is committed to maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, consistent with its longstanding one-China policy.

Both leaders discussed the need to maintain open lines of communication and responsibly manage the US-PRC relationship.

“He also reiterated the United States’ condemnation of Russia’s war against Ukraine and highlighted the implications if the PRC were to provide support to Moscow’s invasion of a sovereign state. He underscored that the United States remains open to cooperating with the PRC where our interests intersect,” Ned Price said as quoted by the statement.

Earlier also, the US had repeatedly raised their voice on China-Taiwan relations. On September 19, CBS released their interview with US President from its “60 minutes programme”, where Joe Biden said that American forces would defend Taiwan from a Chinese invasion.

Responding to a query over defending Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion, Biden said the US would defend Taiwan “if in fact there was an unprecedented attack,” according to The Washington Post.

Scott Pelley, the interviewer in the 60-minute programme pressed Biden on whether the situation would be different in the event of an attack on Taiwan.

“So unlike Ukraine, to be clear, sir, U.S. forces — U.S. men and women — would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion?” Pelley asked.

“Yes,” Biden replied.

The relations between China and US deteriorated after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan. That trip angered China’s ruling Communist Party — which views Taiwan as part of its territory, despite never having governed it — and it responded by launching unprecedented military drills around the island, sending warplanes across the Taiwan Strait and firing missiles over the main island. (ANI)

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