DRUNK PILOT FIRED FROM AIR INDIA POST
MUMBAI: Senior Air India pilot Captain Arvind Kathpalia, who failed an alcohol test just before the flight, has been sacked as Director of Operations on Tuesday, a day after he was barred from flying for at least three years. Captain Amitabh Singh has been given additional charge as Director of Operations, a civil aviation ministry order stated. On Monday, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had suspended the flying licence of the 56-year-old Air India pilot for three years after he was found to have an unacceptably high blood alcohol count just before he was scheduled to pilot a flight to London from New Delhi. The Indian Commercial Pilots’ Association, earlier Tuesday, demanded his termination as he was a “repeat offender”.
Indian varsity faculties to get training at global institutes
NEW DELHI: Soon senior faculty members from leading Indian universities would get lessons in management in top global institutions, including Harvard, Stanford and London School of Economics (LSE) as the HRD ministry launched a scheme aimed at grooming leaders in the academic world. Named Leadership for Academicians Programme (LEAP), the scheme was launched by Union minister of state for HRD Satyapal Singh. Professors with considerable teaching experience can apply for the three-week programme.
Longowal reappointed SGPC president
AMRITSAR: Gobind Singh Longowal was reappointed the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president at the apex gurdwara body’s annual General House meeting held at Teja Singh Samundari Hall in Amritsar on Tuesday. Longowal, 59, became the 42nd president of the SGPC, having taken over the post for the first time in 2017. There are 180 members of SGPC General House, of which 174 have voting rights. Of the 174, 159 are elected and 15 are nominated. On Monday, the SGPC had authorised Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal to name the new president and other office-bearers of the gurdwara body.
Bootlegger injured in police firing, 400 cartons seized
AHMEDABAD: A person was injured when a state vigilance squad opened fire on bootleggers when they were unloading liquor from 14 vehicles in Gujarat’s Navsari near Surat in the early hours of Tuesday. The squad recovered nearly 400 cartons of liquor. Officials said that bootleggers tried to run over accompanying SRP men, prompting the police to open fire. Preliminary investigation revealed that bootlegging was planned by one Vinod Bhaiyya, who is wanted in several cases, in nearby Valsad town. The liquor consignment was being smuggled in from bordering Daman. Police said five rounds were fired in which the fleeing driver of a Verna car was injured. Rest of the bootleggers fled in four-wheelers