Pilot refuses to fly Eknath Shinde: ‘My shift hours have ended’

Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde was delayed at Jalgaon airport for nearly an hour after the pilot of his personal aircraft refused to fly, citing duty hour limits and ill health. Shinde had attended the Sant Muktai Palkhi Yatra in Muktainagar with ministers Girish Mahajan and Gulabrao Patil. After 45 minutes of discussions and obtaining clearance, the flight finally took off for Mumbai. In a compassionate gesture, the team also airlifted a woman needing urgent kidney surgery who had missed her flight.