Popular podcaster Prakhar Gupta has accused IndiGo of offering him a bribe of Rs 6,000 to delete his X post criticising the airline for a flight preponement issue. It all started after Mr Gupta claimed in an X post that IndiGo unexpectedly preponed his flight by 15 minutes, closed its check-in counters and ultimately forced him to purchase a new ticket. He also said that the ground staff was very rude to him and claimed that they were playing inappropriate private voice messages on speakerphone while dealing with his complaint. 

Additionally, Mr Gupta pointed out inconsistencies in the fees charged for the rescheduled flight. He was told that the actual charge for the ticket change was Rs 40,000 but was being offered a “discounted” price of Rs 3,000 per customer. “A 90% discount? Instantly? Without me asking for it? Super suspicious,” he remarked.

In response to the post, IndiGo airline stated, “We are currently looking into this and will reach out to you soon to resolve the matter.” 

However, once his post started gaining traction online, Mr Gupta alleged that IndiGo offered Rs 6,000 to remove his complaints from social media. “Hi Navi, your team tried to bribe me with Rs 6,000 to remove this post. No apology, either written or verbal, issued,” the podcaster wrote on X. 

Hi Navi, your team tried to bribe me with 6000 rupees to remove this post.

No apology, either written or verbal, issued.

However, safe to say that social media pressure does work. Apparently Indigo HQ is now involved, but no help has been offered.

I have a few questions for… https://t.co/U7pWqDRZVT

— Prakhar Gupta (@prvkhvr) January 23, 2025

In the following lines, Mr Gupta invited the IndiGo CEO to join him on his podcast to address the issue. “I have a few questions for the CEO, please tell him Ill fly him out first class to my studio, and show him the unwavering Indian Tolerance we are famous for. Let us see what happens when we air that episode,” he wrote. 

IndiGo is yet to respond to the bribe allegation.

Previously, Mr Gupta claimed that the airline preponed his flight by 15 minutes, just 2.5 hours before the scheduled time. He said that he didn’t receive any email regarding the change and just a “measly” text message early in the morning. “How do you change a flight time and PREPONE it, 2.5 hours before the flight at 4 AM in the morning, expect me to make it on time, and then when I do get there 5 minutes behind on the NEW TIME , you do not let me check in my bag and make me pay for a new flight?” he wrote in his post. 

“I got no email, and one measly text at 4 AM this morning that my flight time has been preponed from 645 to 630, and you close your check in counters according to 630??” Mr Gupta continued. 

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He further slammed the ground staff’s unprofessional behaviour, saying that he caught them playing “very distasteful private voice messages to each other on speaker phone and giggling at the obscenity while ‘resolving’ our issue.” He also expressed his frustration over a “suspicious” adjustment in fee during the ticket change.

“And the language of resolution is suspect- the lady literally began with ‘Sir the actual charge of this change is 40,000 Rs (original ticket for not more than 15) but I will charge you only minimum price 3,000 per customer’. A 90% discount??? Instantly??? Without me asking for it ??? Super suspicious. Everyone asks you to go to the next counter, trying to exhaust your anger and genuine frustration. You waste my time, you take more of my money, but no one dares take any accountability,” he said.

IndiGo was quick to respond to Mr Gupta’s initial post. But despite this, Mr Gupta expressed disappointment, saying no substantial help had been offered yet.

An old video of a paraglider making an abrupt landing during an event in Pakistan has surfaced online and left social media users chuckling. The clip, shared on X by the popular account ‘Ghar Ke Kalesh’, captures the paraglider landing on the chief guest of the event. According to the Khaleej Times, the incident took place in 2023 at a celebration of Gilgit-Baltistan’s 76th Independence Day. The event featured the paraglider making a dramatic entrance, followed by a trail of red and blue smoke.

In the video, the paraglider misestimated his landing time and speed. Instead of landing on the field, he ended up landing straight in the first row, where the chief guest was sitting. The people standing around the chief guest moved away quickly and no one seemed to be injured. The paraglider, on the other hand, was seen trapped in the damaged parachute after landing. 

Watch the video below: 

Bud Landed over Chief Guest in Pakistan
pic.twitter.com/1y9kjDiOzg

— Ghar Ke Kalesh (@gharkekalesh) December 2, 2024

Since being shared on X, the video has amassed more than 604,000 views and nearly 8,000 likes. 

Reacting to the clip, one user jokingly wrote, “Never a day goes by when Pakistan isn’t doing Pakistani things.” “He landed like Green Goblin in spiderman movie,” commented another. 

“We will never run out of funny content as long as Pakistan is there,” said a third user. “The people still clapping and the camera man didn’t move an inch,” pointed out another. 

“He might be landed at same spot while practicing.. they arranged VIP seating on the same area…not his fault!!” said one X user. “Average Pakistani when they hear Biryani is distributed for free,,” reacted another. 

The video was taken at a celebration of Gilgit-Baltistan’s 76th Independence Day, which was on November 1, 2023. 

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Previously, another video from Pakistan which showed an airline pilot cleaning the windscreen of his aircraft just before takeoff had surfaced online. The footage showed a Serene Air pilot leaning out of the plane’s side window to clean the view ahead. The incident took place on an Airbus A330-200, operating an international flight between Pakistan and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

The video sparked a conversation about airline safety protocols and the duties of ground staff. However, a section of the internet said that it is a normal practice. 

A Bengaluru man recently recounted a harrowing experience in which his car was attacked by a group of men in the middle of a busy road in the Kudlu area. Sharing pictures and videos of the incident on X, user Deven Mehta claimed that the attackers shattered his car windows, threw stones and threatened him and a woman inside his vehicle – all while a traffic police officer allegedly looked on without intervening. “My car was attacked by goons on crowded bangalore streets at 7pm while a traffic police watched them break glasses, throw stones & threaten us at Kudlu, despite a woman in the car,” Mr Mehta wrote on X. 

My car was attacked by goons on crowded bangalore streets at 7pm while a traffic police watched them break glasses, throw stones & threaten us at Kudlu, despite a woman in the car.@BlrCityPolice@DCPSouthBCP@BangaloreMirror@BangaloreTimes1@CMofKarnataka@peakbengalurupic.twitter.com/FEcg9cUn0e

— Deven Mehta, CFA (@devenmehta14) November 1, 2024

In another post, the X user shared why the group of men attacked his vehicle. “Their bike touched my car (old car) from behind (their fault) in head-to-head traffic. I was looking from my mirror when they yelled in Kannada. I told them “Kannada illa, no problem, no damage- aap jao”. I believe they got infuriated at how a Hindi man gave them instructions,” Mr Mehta said. 

In response to the post, the Bengaluru police requested further details, urging him to share his contact information via direct message. However, Mr Mehta declined to share any information, citing safety concerns. “Sorry, I don’t want to provide any details as I don’t feel safe. I have shared it here so that more people remain vigilant and careful on the streets till we get better police and safety services,” he wrote. 

Sorry, I don’t want to provide any details as I don’t feel safe. I have shared it here so that more people remain vigilant and careful on the streets till we get better police and safety services

— Deven Mehta, CFA (@devenmehta14) November 1, 2024

Meanwhile, in the comment section of Mr Mehta’s post, several users expressed frustration over the growing crime rate in the city. 

“@BlrCityPolice congratulations. The city has gone to the dogs. Your inaction and silence on such matters is deafening. I sincerely hope you do something better than asking the sufferer for more details,” wrote one user. 

“Wow….Bangalore is turning safer by the day. Goons being given a free hand to attack people, road range on the rise, everyone wants to come first on the road and show off this shitty driving skills, violations everywhere. Great progress seen in India’s Silicon Valley,” sarcastically commented another. 

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“A few  months back ihad seen a road rage incident at kathriguppe signal where two bike hooligans were thrashing each other at the junction holding up traffic. Amazingly the policeman just sat in his shelter watching them. Finally the public interfered and stopped them,” shared a third user. 

“Its scary how road rage in this country is rising but you should file a complaint or atleast give details of the incident on their DM. Ur number plate was seen by them if they want they can anyways dig all ur details better take help of cops @BlrCityPolice,” suggested a fourth. 

“Its so scary to see this kind of events happening regularly on the streets of Bengaluru. These goons know well that Police can’t hurt them otherwise they will not dare to touch/harrass anyone. Blr police is helpless here,” expressed one user. 

Paytm Chief Executive Officer Vijay Shekhar Sharma is being slammed online for his tribute to Ratan Tata, leading him to delete the post. Mr Sharma’s post was intended to honour the industrialist who died at 86 on Wednesday. However, it was met with criticism amidst an outpouring of tributes from leading figures, including Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal, People Group CEO Anupam Mittal, former Xiaomi CEO Manu Kumar Jain and former BharatPe CEO Ashneer Grover. The Paytm CEO faced backlash for a particular comment, prompting him to remove his post on X (formerly Twitter). 

Many tributes were well-received by social media users, but Mr Sharma’s post did not resonate positively on the internet. A screenshot of his deleted tribute, shared by user Shivam Sourav Jha, has since gone viral on the microblogging site. In his message, Mr Sharma stated, “A legend who will inspire every generation. Entrepreneurs of the next generation will miss interacting with the most humble businessman of India.”

However, the last line of his post drew considerable criticism, with many users expressing their disapproval. The particular phrase was seen by many as inappropriate and disrespectful. 

Reacting to Mr Sharma’s now-deleted post, one user wrote, “In very bad taste. No need to mock like this @vijayshekhar”. “Last line not appropriate…We loss an Incredible Person Ratan Sir .. departed soul rest in peace,” commented another. 

“The line below should not have been written like this, I did not like it,” expressed a third user. “I guess the intention is not wrong but the timing is wrong and not any one in our country will tolerate such post for a legend and a gentleman like tata sir who has made every Indian proud,” added another. 

Meanwhile, after removing the original post, Mr Sharma issued a revised statement. “RNT for me was the most humbling business leader of India. Future generations of business leaders will miss his generous interactions and kindness. Salutes Sir. You will live in our hearts forever,” he tweeted. 

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Ratan Tata died at Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital on Wednesday at the age of 86. His death marks the end of an era in Indian business, where a man reshaped the country’s industrial landscape and catapulted his family-owned conglomerate into a global powerhouse.

His death has drawn an outpouring of grief and tributes from across the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi remembered Mr Tata as a visionary business leader and a compassionate soul. Business leaders Gautam Adani, Anand Mahindra, and Sundar Pichai also shared their condolences.

In the wake of the Kolkata rape-murder case, a retired colonel recently took to social media to share why he supports his daughter’s decision to settle outside the country. In a post on X, user Col Sanjay Pande shared that his daughter completed her three years in graduation in Delhi. “We, then, lived in a super posh colony in South Delhi. College was 15 minutes walk of which 7 mins was within colony and seven on main road,” he said. 

The user went on to say that half the route towards her daughter’s college was inside a “very premium government auditorium” and the rest was on a footpath with “an institutional area wall”. “SAFEST right? No shops, no public, main road, no people and absolutely safe road,” he asked. In the following lines, he shared his daughter’s harrowing experiences.

Take a look at the post below: 

With so many posts on ‘women don’t come to India’ and ‘women go abroad’, here is my own story.

My daughter did her three years of graduation in Delhi. We, then, lived in a super posh colony in South Delhi. College was 15 minutes walk of which 7 mins was within colony and seven…

— Col Sanjay Pande (@ColSanjayPande) August 16, 2024

“Cars would slow down and guys would ask her to ‘accompany’! They would ask ‘rate’. I was sure someone would be doing the same with the guys sister, daughter, wife too. In second year I gave her a car exclusively. No stepping on road. Ever,” he shared. 

The retired colonel posted how when his daughter wanted to settle abroad, he agreed and supported her. “This was 13 years back. She has right to her life. She is abroad since then. I could afford. What about 95% plus who cannot?” he expressed. 

The post was shared just a day back. Since then, it has accumulated more than 878,000 views. 

Reacting to the post, one user shared, “I lived in South Delhi and each time I had to take an auto or cab at night because of late work, it gave me so much anxiety. Just waiting for the auto made so many men stop and stare. I can totally relate to her.”

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“It’s so sad really. As an Indian woman, I wish someone could teach our men to respect women as human beings. It has to start in every household, every school, every step of the way and I’m not sure how we make it happen but it needs to happen,” commented another. 

“It’s an everyday tale. The fact that a lot of people normalise it and say a woman should learn self defence or fight this or shame the abuser is illogical. Why should women not just step out and go about her day ?!” said a third user. 

“It’s common behavior. Used to happen routinely in the area outside our hospital, especially if standing at bus stop. One fellow was so persistent I removed the lab coat from my bag and showed him, saying ‘arre hasptal se hain, bhai’. He said ‘sorry sister’ and left,” shared a fourth X user. 

Moving is never easy. It takes time to find a reliable moving company. But even after that, you can deal with missing items or unforeseen fees that can make your moving trip a living nightmare. In one such instance, a Bengaluru man recently took to X (formerly Twitter) to share his nightmarish incident which led to the “most horrific 48 hours” of his life. In an X thread, the user, Ankit Mayank, shared he shifted his house on August 14th, for which he hired a movers and packers company, Halef International Pvt Ltd. He claimed that the firm’s 7-member team allegedly stole items and cash worth lakhs. 

“THE MOST HORRIFIC 48 HOURS OF MY LIFE! I had to shift my house on 14th August, for which I had hired a movers & packers company ‘Halef International Pvt Ltd’ But that turned out to be the worst decision & the biggest nightmare of my life,” the man wrote while sharing a video of his messy house. 

THE MOST HORRIFIC 48 HOURS OF MY LIFE

I had to shift my house on 14th August, for which I had hired a movers & packers company ‘Halef International Pvt Ltd’ (@halefint2019)

But that turned out to be the worst decision & the biggest nightmare of my life

PLEASE SHARE pic.twitter.com/fjWppEtbAH

— Ankit Mayank (@mr_mayank) August 16, 2024

In the following post, he said that items including a bag worth Rs 8 lakh were missing, while a bag that had Rs 2 lakh, a pair of gold earrings, 2 gold bangles and other important things were stolen too. “Local Police & the company manager himself agreed that it was stolen by their team members,” the man wrote. 

Further, he said that the movers and packers created an “unimaginable” mess at his house. “All trollies, bags & suitcases are left opened in horrible manner. All the important documents papers are just lying around on the floor. Several of them are missing too, or damaged,” he wrote. 

“Many expensive things like imported perfumes (Dior), limited edition – 50 year old pens (Gold plated), few bags are still missing/damaged. Several important documents & property papers are missing too. The damage to few furniture & house belongings like cupboards are additional,” Mr Mayank continued. 

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However, he said that the company is “shrugging from the responsibility by saying only their stall is responsible, not us”. “Such shamelessness despite the fact that we had hired their services & those thieves were sent by them & were representing the company itself,” the man wrote. He also went on to claim that the police too do not seem to be serious. 

“Both me & my wife @mrs_roh08 haven’t slept for over 48 hours & are living the biggest nightmare of our life. It is emotionally very challenging for my wife as few stolen things belong to her mother who is in coma for the past 15 months. WE ARE MENTALLY & EMOTIONALLY BROKEN,” he wrote. 

Meanwhile, the movers and packers company responded to Mr Mayank’s post, saying that an investigation into the matter is underway. “It’s important to remember that every situation has multiple perspectives. Let the police investigation and judicial process reveal the truth based on actual facts and evidence,” the company said. 

It’s important to remember that every situation has multiple perspectives. Let the police investigation and judicial process reveal the truth based on actual facts and evidence. https://t.co/tdcKwqYGu8pic.twitter.com/mnpfhB2pFS

— Halef International (@halefint2019) August 17, 2024

In a lengthy statement, Halef International clarified the sequence of events. It said that the couple did not inform that they were availing the services for the transportation of cash, jewellery and other valuable items. “We had clearly informed them in advance to personally take care of all valuable items prior itself,” it said. 

The firm also accused the couple of unlawfully detaining the team, confiscating the vehicle keys and holding the employees for 24 hours in their house. “Over the course of 72 hours, the couple made increasingly outrageous claims… this couple is clearly attempting to extort the company by manipulating their social media following and making baseless claims,” it added.