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Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Hindustan Times
9 cases of wildlife smuggling unearthed at Mumbai Airport in 6 months
MUMBAI: With nine cases of wildlife smuggling being unearthed at Mumbai Airport since February this year, the city, which was a major hub of this sort of contraband in the 1990s, is fast regaining the unsavoury title. Wildlife activists say that many more cases may have gone unnoticed. 9 cases of wildlife smuggling unearthed at Mumbai Airport in 6 months From Meerkats to Star Tortoises and different kinds of lizards, all kinds of exotic species are being smuggled into Mumbai. The Customs department and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau have now taken the decision to immediately deport them after giving them the necessary medical care. An orangutan smuggled and found last year in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region is still in the Nagpur zoo. Two of the largest seizures happened on July 10 and 11 when Meerkats, Sumatran Rabbits, Great-Billed Parrots and Indo-Chinese Box Turtles were confiscated at Mumbai Airport. The wildlife species were with two Indian passengers caught by Customs coming by two separate flights. A senior Customs officer posted in Mumbai said, 'We nab such people on suspicion or when we have information. But these transporters are not the real brains behind the racket. They are merely poor people who carry them, and when we catch them, the court gives us custody for a day or two.' In the 1990s, Mumbai was a prime centre for wildlife trade, with the forest department often making huge hauls such as 3,000 Star Tortoises at one time. Former principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) Nitin Kakodkar worked as the deputy conservator of forests (wildlife) in the mid-1990s. The smuggling had stopped when he took over. Kakodkar said that there were people in big cities who probably had a penchant for doing something out of the ordinary such as keeping exotic animals as pets. 'Much wider publicity is needed to curb this,' he said. 'People need to be made aware that this is a wildlife offence involving major punishment.' Deputy director Yogesh Warkad of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau pointed to the rising seriousness of the illegal trade, saying, 'It is very rare to see Meerkats smuggled here. But we saw these in our last raid. This kind of smuggling takes place on demand. Many of the smugglers get these exotic animals to breed them and sell the offspring. At times, they do business on WhatsApp, but if they use YouTube or Instagram to sell the animals, they get caught.' Warkad said that in certain countries, there were very few restrictions on the sale of exotic animals or what is termed as wildlife in India. 'There is very little checking at Thai or Malaysian airports, but they are caught by Customs in Mumbai,' he said. 'As per our Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, the sale and trade of such wildlife is banned. Such trade is also banned as per the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.' Warkad said that the smugglers chose the air route for a reason. 'If the animals are sent by sea, it is not possible to feed them for so many days, and they die,' he said. 'Air is the quickest mode. Most of the trade comes from Bangkok, where there is no restriction on the sale of many exotic animals. The smugglers put the animals into their luggage, which is horrible. We deport 90 per cent of the wildlife, but some animals die.' Wildlife experts expressed concern about the situation. Aneesh Andheria of the non-profit Wildlife Conservation Trust said, 'The pet trade of wildlife is highly injurious to global biodiversity, as in order to accomplish an order of one wild pet, seven to eight animals lose their life (in the trapping process or during transit). The recent spate of confiscations suggests that India is an important consumer country. However, there is enough evidence to show that many species of Indian wildlife from insects to reptiles to fish and carnivores are smuggled out in larger numbers.' When the Customs department catches the traffickers , the animals are dehydrated or suffocated. To handle this, on most occasions the department calls Pawan Sharma of the Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare (RAWW). 'Trafficking of exotic wildlife has been on the rise in recent years, especially after the amendment of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, in 2022, after which the non-native species listed in CITES were also included in Schedule IV,' he told Hindustan Times. 'These animals are stuffed into luggage, due to which many of them die of suffocation and many others are injured and infected. The harsh reality and cruelty behind the exotic wildlife we watch on social media and the internet is often unseen. As first respondents, we have seen animals covered with their own and other animals' faeces, suffocated in small containers, and distressed and injured.' Sharma added that surprisingly, there was also a rise in wild-caught specimens rather than the bred species being smuggled. 'This is again a matter of great concern,' he said, 'and raises questions about the security and protection of these species in the wild.'
NDTV
22-07-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Lawyer Orders Veg Burger, Gets Chicken Cheese Burger. McDonald's Reacts
A lawyer ordered a vegetarian burger at a McDonald's outlet at an airport. However, what he received was a non-vegetarian burger and the man "unknowingly ate that too". When he realised the mix-up after taking a bite, the staff at the outlet, according to him, took his complaint "very casually". "I ordered Veg Mexican Corn Cheese burger and they gave me non-vegetarian, and unknowingly I ate that when I asked them why they did so, they took it very casually and said sorry sir, non veg hi toh tha (It was just a non-vegetarian burger)," said Ashutosh Dubey, a lawyer at Bombay High Court. Mr Dubey shared a video of his order on X, showing that he was served a non-vegetarian burger. "I am deeply hurt, " he can be heard saying in the video. McDonald's has apologised for the mistake. "Hi. We're extremely sorry that you went through an unpleasant experience. Your issue has been forwarded to the concerned team. Please bear with us for some time, and it'll be resolved. Appreciate your patience in this regard," the social media handle of McDonald's wrote, responding to his post. As per his post, he ordered the burger on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday at the outlet at Mumbai Airport. "It's Shravan Somvar + Ekadashi, this isn't just a mistake, it's a serious violation of religious beliefs," wrote Mr Dubey, who identifies himself as the head of the BJP Maharashtra SM (Social Media) legal and advisory department. Mr Dubey also responded to McDonald's reply to his post, saying, "This isn't just an 'unpleasant experience'. It's a violation of my religious faith". "I didn't just receive the wrong order, I unknowingly consumed non-veg when I had explicitly ordered veg. A casual apology won't undo this. I expect accountability," he said.
News18
22-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
Ordered Veg, Got Chicken: Man Sues McDonald's Over Burger Mix-Up At Mumbai Airport
Last Updated: An advocate served a legal notice to McDonald's India for serving non-vegetarian food instead of vegetarian at Mumbai Airport, demanding an apology, Rs 5 lakh, and staff training. An advocate has served a legal notice to McDonald's India after he was served non-vegetarian food despite ordering a vegetarian meal on the auspicious day of Shravan Somvar and Ekadashi — days of strict fasting and vegetarianism in Hindu tradition. The incident took place at the McDonald's outlet at Mumbai Airport's Terminal 1 near Gate No. 9. In a post on X, Ashutosh J Dubey, Head of BJP Maharashtra Social Media Legal and Advisory Department, claimed he had ordered a Veg Mexican Corn Cheese Burger, Medium Coke, and Cheesy Fries. However, he said he got a Mexican Grill Chicken Cheese Burger, which he consumed unknowingly. 'This is not a simple service error. It is a blatant violation of my religious beliefs, and the staff's response — 'Sorry sir, non-veg hi toh tha' — was deeply insensitive," said Advocate Dubey. The advocate has invoked provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, including Section 318(2) (Acts intended to outrage religious feelings), and Section 331(2) (Wounding religious sentiments) Dubey has demanded a formal public apology from McDonald's India, compensation of Rs 5 lakh for mental agony and religious violation and an assurance of religious and dietary sensitivity training for staff. Failing to receive a response within 7 days, Dubey has stated that he will proceed with criminal and consumer legal action against the fast food giant. The issue has also gained traction on social media, where Dubey declared a personal boycott of McDonald's India, calling on the company to be held accountable for its disregard of India's cultural and religious diversity. view comments First Published: July 22, 2025, 17:22 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
NDTV
21-07-2025
- General
- NDTV
Close Shave For Air India Plane During Mumbai Touchdown, Engine Damaged
Mumbai: An Air India flight flying in from Kochi had a close shave while landing in Mumbai this morning after it veered off the rain-soaked runway. Pictures accessed by NDTV show a clump of grass stuck to the rear part of the aircraft and signs of damage on one of the engines. The runway, too, has been damaged. All passengers aboard the aircraft are safe, airport authorities have said. Visuals showed the nacelle of the right engine -- the housing that surrounds the engine -- damaged, evidently having made contact during what is called a runway excursion. The damage to the nacelle means a part of the engine had an impact with the tarmac or the soft side of the runway. The clump of grass on the rear part of the engine indicates that the impact was deep. Government sources said that the plane, after landing, made a runway excursion to one side of the runway. "Marking of one wheel of aircraft went into the grassy area on the side of the runway," a source said. Three signage boards and four runway edge lights were found broken after the incident. According to Air India, the aircraft has been grounded for checks, and the inspection is underway. The two pilots have been derostered pending an inquiry into what led to the scare. The Mumbai Airport issued a statement shortly after the incident. "An incoming aircraft from Kochi experienced a runway excursion at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), Mumbai at 09.27 hours on 21 July 2025. CSMIA's emergency response teams were immediately activated to manage the runway excursion. All passengers and crew are safe," the statement said. "There are minor damages reported to the airport's primary runway - 09/27. In order to ensure continuity of operations, the Secondary Runway 14/32 - has been activated. At CSMIA, safety always remains our highest priority," it added. It is unclear if this runway's closure would lead to delays. This incident comes at a time when the aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation is closely looking at safety protocols for passenger flights in the aftermath of the AI 171 crash in Ahmedabad last month that claimed over 250 lives. Mumbai has been witnessing heavy, continuous rain, leaving many areas waterlogged and disrupting transport services on Monday. The Mumbai airport issued an advisory earlier today, urging passengers to check their flight status and allow extra travel time to reach the airport. "In light of the inclement weather and forecast of heavy to very heavy rains, we request all our passengers to connect with their respective airlines and check on the status of their flights before leaving for the airport. Passengers are also advised to leave for the airport earlier than usual, in order to evade traffic congestion," it said.
Time of India
21-07-2025
- Climate
- Time of India
Air India plane veers off runway on landing at Mumbai; all safe but airstrip suffers 'minor damages'
Air India NEW DELHI: An Air India Airbus A320 operating from Kochi to Mumbai on Monday morning momentarily veered off the runway while landing at its destination in heavy rain. Luckily the aircraft got out of the unpaved area near the runway quickly and wasn't stuck there. All passengers and crew onboard AI 2744 are safe. However the runway portion where the veering off happened was damaged and the other airstrip is being used. In a statement, Mumbai Airport spokesperson said: "An incoming aircraft from Kochi experienced a runway excursion at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), Mumbai at 09.27 hours on 21 July 2025. CSMIA's emergency response teams were immediately activated to manage the runway excursion. All passengers and crew are safe. There are minor damages reported to the airport's primary runway - 09/27. In order to ensure continuity of operations, the Secondary Runway 14/32 - has been activated. At CSMIA, safety always remains our highest priority." Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
