Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament (MP) Priyanka Chaturvedi on Saturday blamed Boeing, GE and Air India for the June 12 Ahmedabad plane crash which had killed 260 people. Her reaction came hours after the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) released the preliminary report into the Ahmedabad plane crash. "....it seems clear that Boeing (manufacturer), GE (engine) and Tata Air India (operator) failed us, not our pilots," Chaturvedi said in a post on X. Highlighting the findings of the report, she said: "Both engines shut down mid-air within seconds after takeoff -- fuel cutoff switches moved from RUN to CUTOFF one after another" and that "no immediate sabotage evidence, but a known FAA advisory on possible fuel switch flaw existed -- inspections not done by Air India". Chaturvedi further attacked a British media outlet, quipping it was the “Boeing Bacchao Corporation aka BBC,” in response to reports suggesting the pilots deliberately shut off the engines. Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy, who himself is a pilot, advocated caution, noting that the report cited technical reasons and credited the pilots for following the situation correctly, reported PTI. Rudy highlighted that “the aircraft reached the speed of 180 knots after taking off, which shows that it was capable to fly initially.” He also mentioned that post-crash, “both the fuel switches were found to be on.” However, he cautioned, “Only time will tell what happened exactly.” Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Brinda Karat urged the public to refrain from speculation pending the final report. “We have to wait for the final report... for people who have no idea about these technicalities to go on commenting ... is insulting to those who lost their loved ones,” she said. Key findings from the AAIB’s 15-page preliminary report include: Both fuel-control switches moved from RUN to CUTOFF within a second, resulting in rapid loss of altitude. A cockpit voice recording captured one pilot asking the other, “why did you cut off the fuel?” followed by the other denying the action. The report did not assign blame or identify the pilots on the recording but found no mechanical faults, leaving pilot error as the only plausible explanation. It referenced a 2018 FAA airworthiness bulletin cautioning that some Boeing models, including certain 787s, had fuel switch locking mechanisms that could be disengaged. The Airlines Pilots Association of India (APAI) has criticised the investigation, calling it “shrouded in secrecy,” biased against the pilots, and rushed to judgement. The AAIB maintains that the preliminary findings are inconclusive, with a final report due later, which is expected to clarify the exact sequence of events and identify accountability. (With PTI inputs)
12 July,2025 09:22 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentA Gurugram court on Saturday remanded Deepak Yadav, father of former state-level tennis player Radhika Yadav, in 14-day judicial custody in his daughter’s murder case, ANI reported. The accused was brought to court under heavy police protection with his face covered and was produced before the duty magistrate by Gurugram Police earlier in the day. The 25-year-old player was allegedly shot dead by her father at their home in Sector 57, Gurugram, on Thursday following a disagreement over her professional engagement with a tennis academy, reported ANI. On Friday, her body was cremated in Gurugram after a post-mortem examination confirmed multiple bullet wounds. "The postmortem of the deceased tennis player is completed. Four bullets were taken out from Radhika Yadav's body," said Dr Deepak Mathur, who was part of the examining medical team. Gurugram Public Relations Officer (PRO) Sandeep Kumar stated on Friday that the motive behind the killing stemmed from a long-standing disagreement over Radhika’s involvement in tennis coaching, reported ANI. "The 25-year-old tennis player, Radhika Yadav, was shot dead by her father, Deepak Yadav, a result of a disagreement over her tennis academy," Kumar told ANI. He elaborated that Deepak Yadav, who operates a rental property business and is financially secure, opposed his daughter’s decision to work. "Despite being told not to run the academy, Radhika refused to stop working, which eventually and ultimately led to a huge disagreement. Going further, the accused got angry and shot his daughter with his licensed gun and killed her," Kumar said. Police are also investigating a music video in which Radhika had featured. According to sources, her father had reportedly asked her to remove the video from her social media profiles. However, investigators have ruled out any direct connection between the video and the murder. "The video was uploaded in 2023. It has no connection with the murder," Inspector Vinod Kumar of Sector 56 Police Station previously stated. Inam-ul-Haq, who co-starred with Radhika in the video, said he had no link to the incident and had not been in contact with her after the project. "I met her (Radhika) for the first time in the Tennis Premier League, which was held in Delhi. After that, I met her in a music video. She was an actor to me. I have worked with many actresses... She just came for the shooting of the music video, and then she left... We just gave her a good luck amount. The production of the video was unpaid. After that, we never contacted," Haq clarified. Further investigation into the case is ongoing. (With ANI inputs)
12 July,2025 07:59 PM IST | Gurugram | mid-day online correspondentNationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) legislator Rohit Pawar on Saturday refuted allegations of wrongdoing after he was named an accused by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the alleged Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (MSCB) money laundering case. The Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from the Karjat-Jamkhed constituency in Ahilyanagar district claimed that he was being targeted for political reasons and vowed to contest the matter legally, PTI reported. Pawar was recently named in the chargesheet filed by the ED in a special court in Mumbai. The case stems from a 2019 first information report (FIR) by the Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing, which alleged the fraudulent sale of cooperative sugar factories (Sahakari Sakhar Kharkhanas) by MSCB officials to private entities at undervalued prices. One such unit, Kannad SSK in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, was acquired by Baramati Agro Ltd — a company linked to Pawar. The ED claims that the bank, seeking to recover an unpaid loan of Rs 80.56 crore, took possession of the mill in 2009 under the SARFAESI Act and later auctioned it in 2012 at a “very low” reserve price, based on a questionable valuation report. According to the ED, two other parties also entered the bidding process, but the highest bidder was disqualified on flimsy grounds, while the remaining bidder was allegedly a close associate of Baramati Agro with no credible experience, reported PTI. Speaking to reporters in Pune, Pawar said, “When the FIR was registered, 97 individuals were named — my name wasn’t among them. The sugar mill was under an administrator’s control before Baramati Agro acquired it through a transparent tender process.” He added that, despite all others being set aside, the ED continued to pursue him. “I was questioned for 12 hours, and ED officers even visited the mill. They found everything in order. I have full faith in the judicial process,” he said. Dismissing the case as politically motivated, Pawar remarked, “Of the 97 named, many are now part of the BJP, Shiv Sena (Shinde faction), or Ajit Pawar’s NCP. I am being singled out because I speak out against the government.” “I am not afraid. This is a battle of ideology. We are Marathi people — we do not bow before Delhi,” he said. (With PTI inputs)
12 July,2025 06:49 PM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondentA student of the Indian Institute of Management-Calcutta (IIM-C) has been arrested after a woman alleged that she was raped inside a hostel on the institute’s campus. The accused was produced before the Alipore Court on Saturday and has been remanded to police custody until July 19. The complaint was filed late on Friday evening at Haridevpur Police Station. According to police, the woman, a clinical psychologist, stated that she had been invited to the hostel by the student for a counselling session. Upon reaching there, she was offered a drink that allegedly left her unconscious. After the woman regained consciousness, she realised she had been assaulted. The woman also alleged that the accused threatened her with dire consequences if she spoke about the incident. Speaking on the case, a senior police officer said: "A case has been registered based on the woman’s statement. The accused was detained shortly after the complaint and formally arrested on Saturday. A detailed investigation is underway." During the hearing, the prosecution requested an extended remand until July 25, citing the need to question the accused further and examine digital evidence, CCTV footage, and hostel access logs. The defence, however, argued that the campus is a high-security facility where visitors are required to register and present identification. They questioned the plausibility of the allegation and requested bail. After hearing both sides, the court granted police custody until July 19. The alleged incident occurred within IIM-Calcutta’s Joka campus, which houses several residential hostels and is located on the southern outskirts of the city. Authorities are now reviewing entry records and surveillance footage to verify the sequence of events. The case comes less than a fortnight after a law college student of South Calcutta Law College was gang-raped inside the campus premises on June 25. All four accused in the Kolkata law college student rape case are currently in judicial custody. In a previous case, a postgraduate trainee doctor was raped and murdered in the city’s RG Kar Medical Hospital and College last year, triggering nationwide protests, especially by members of the medical fraternity. The back-to-back reports of assault at educational institutions in Kolkata have raised concerns over campus security and student safety. Activists and student bodies have called for stricter protocols, better surveillance, and quicker response mechanisms to protect those studying and working in such institutions. (With PTI and ANI inputs)
12 July,2025 05:52 PM IST | Kolkata | mid-day online correspondentGroup Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian to visit the International Space Station (ISS), is set to return to Earth on July 15 following the conclusion of the 18-day Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4). He will undergo a seven-day rehabilitation programme post-splashdown off the California coast to readjust to Earth's gravity, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) informed. Shukla, who served as pilot for the mission, travelled aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft along with mission commander Peggy Whitson (NASA), and mission specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland) and Tibor Kapu (Hungary), as part of the commercial Ax-4 mission launched on June 25 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. The quartet is scheduled to undock from ISS on July 14, at 4.30 pm Indian IST, with live coverage beginning on NASA+, followed by streams from Axiom Space and SpaceX. Hatch closing will precede undocking, with the crew expected to enter the spacecraft at 2.25 pm IST. Following a series of deorbit manoeuvres, splashdown is expected around 3 pm IST on July 15. "The Dragon spacecraft will return with more than 580 pounds of cargo, including NASA hardware and data from over 60 experiments conducted throughout the mission," NASA stated. #Ax4 from @Axiom_Space is go to undock from the station at 7:05am ET on Monday, July 14, live on @NASA+ and wrapped up the week with a wide variety of space research. https://t.co/oUYP3h0IiU — International Space Station (@Space_Station) July 11, 2025 Commander Peggy Whitson posted on X: "Enjoying our last few days on the @Space_Station with rehydrated shrimp cocktails and good company! #Ax4." Shukla had taken along a taste of home – carrot halwa and mango nectar (aamras) – on the voyage. A highlight of Shukla's scientific contributions was his work on a microalgae experiment, deploying and later freezing samples to test their potential to provide oxygen, food, and biofuels for deep-space missions. Axiom Space stated that the resilience of microalgae makes them a promising candidate for sustaining life beyond Earth. Other research conducted by the Ax-4 and Expedition 73 crew included the Voyager Displays study on eye movement and spatial coordination, cognitive research via the Acquired Equivalence Test, and multiple human health experiments – spanning gut microbiota, immune response, muscular stimulation, and cerebral blood flow under microgravity and elevated CO₂ levels. NASA also highlighted the use of the Rad Nano Dosimeter to monitor radiation exposure and the PhotonGrav study to assess brain activity for potential neuroadaptive technologies, useful both in space and on Earth. ISRO confirmed that Shukla is in “good health and high spirit”, with continuous monitoring by flight surgeons. “Post splashdown, the Gaganyatri will undergo a rehabilitation program (about 7 days) under supervision of Flight Surgeon to adapt back to Earth's gravity,” ISRO stated. The space agency paid approximately Rs 550 crore for Shukla’s mission, which it says will provide critical insights into planning its own human spaceflight initiative, Gaganyaan, expected to launch in 2027. Shukla’s journey marks a significant milestone in India's space exploration story, bridging international collaboration and scientific discovery with the ambitions of a future Indian-crewed mission. (With ANI and PTI inputs)
12 July,2025 04:34 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentGroup Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian to visit the International Space Station (ISS), is set to return to Earth on July 15 following the conclusion of the 18-day Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4). He will undergo a seven-day rehabilitation programme post-splashdown off the California coast to readjust to Earth's gravity, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) informed. Shukla, who served as pilot for the mission, travelled aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft along with mission commander Peggy Whitson (NASA), and mission specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland) and Tibor Kapu (Hungary), as part of the commercial Ax-4 mission launched on June 25 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. The quartet is scheduled to undock from ISS on July 14, at 4.30 pm Indian IST, with live coverage beginning on NASA+, followed by streams from Axiom Space and SpaceX. Hatch closing will precede undocking, with the crew expected to enter the spacecraft at 2.25 pm IST. Following a series of deorbit manoeuvres, splashdown is expected around 3 pm IST on July 15. "The Dragon spacecraft will return with more than 580 pounds of cargo, including NASA hardware and data from over 60 experiments conducted throughout the mission," NASA stated. #Ax4 from @Axiom_Space is go to undock from the station at 7:05am ET on Monday, July 14, live on @NASA+ and wrapped up the week with a wide variety of space research. https://t.co/oUYP3h0IiU — International Space Station (@Space_Station) July 11, 2025 Commander Peggy Whitson posted on X: "Enjoying our last few days on the @Space_Station with rehydrated shrimp cocktails and good company! #Ax4." Shukla had taken along a taste of home – carrot halwa and mango nectar (aamras) – on the voyage. A highlight of Shukla's scientific contributions was his work on a microalgae experiment, deploying and later freezing samples to test their potential to provide oxygen, food, and biofuels for deep-space missions. Axiom Space stated that the resilience of microalgae makes them a promising candidate for sustaining life beyond Earth. Other research conducted by the Ax-4 and Expedition 73 crew included the Voyager Displays study on eye movement and spatial coordination, cognitive research via the Acquired Equivalence Test, and multiple human health experiments – spanning gut microbiota, immune response, muscular stimulation, and cerebral blood flow under microgravity and elevated CO₂ levels. NASA also highlighted the use of the Rad Nano Dosimeter to monitor radiation exposure and the PhotonGrav study to assess brain activity for potential neuroadaptive technologies, useful both in space and on Earth. ISRO confirmed that Shukla is in “good health and high spirit”, with continuous monitoring by flight surgeons. “Post splashdown, the Gaganyatri will undergo a rehabilitation program (about 7 days) under supervision of Flight Surgeon to adapt back to Earth's gravity,” ISRO stated. The space agency paid approximately Rs 550 crore for Shukla’s mission, which it says will provide critical insights into planning its own human spaceflight initiative, Gaganyaan, expected to launch in 2027. Shukla’s journey marks a significant milestone in India's space exploration story, bridging international collaboration and scientific discovery with the ambitions of a future Indian-crewed mission. (With ANI and PTI inputs)
12 July,2025 04:34 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentUnion Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said that it was more important for the BJP to ensure that its state office here becomes the centre of 'Vikasit Keralam' than having a Chief Minister in the government, reported PTI. Shah made the statement while addressing a massive gathering of party activists and supporters at a ward-level leadership meeting at Putharikandam Maidan here after inaugurating the new BJP state committee office. Shah also launched the logo and motto of the party's 'Vikasit Keralam' mission. He said that the route to 'Vikasit Bharat' goes through 'Vikasit Keralam' only. "Therefore, from now on, the basic aim of the BJP will be a 'Vikasit Keralam'," he said, reported PTI. Shah inaugurated the new BJP state committee office, Mararji Bhavan, here ahead of launching the party's campaign for the upcoming local body polls this year and the assembly elections next year. The Union Home Minister, who arrived in Kerala late Friday night, also paid floral tributes to a bronze half-bust of late former BJP state president K G Marar, which has been installed in the central hall of the new building. He was accompanied by BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar and other senior leaders of the party's Kerala unit while he took a tour of the new building. Later in the afternoon, Shah will take part in a closed-door BJP state leadership meeting, where discussions will focus on preparations for the upcoming local body elections in Kerala. He is expected to leave Thiruvananthapuram by 4 pm for Kannur, where he will visit the famous Rajarajeshwara Temple in Taliparamba before returning to Delhi, according to his itinerary released by the party. Ahead of his arrival at Kannur, the District Collector has banned the use of drones, paragliders, hot air balloons or any other unmanned aerial vehicles in a five-kilometre radius around the airport there for three days. Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday slammed both the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF and the opposition Congress-led UDF alleging the regimes steered by them only created corruption, followed appeasement politics and made Kerala a safe haven for "anti-national forces", like the Popular Front of India (PFI). Addressing party workers here, Shah said only the BJP-led NDA can bring development to the state and not the LDF or the UDF. 'Viksit Bharat' is not possible without the development of strong southern states and the route to 'Viksit Bharat' is only through 'Viksit Keralam,' he said. "Therefore, from now, the basic aim of the BJP will be a 'Viksit Keralam'," he underlined. (With inputs from PTI)
12 July,2025 03:15 PM IST | Thiruvananthapuram | mid-day online correspondentPrime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday stated that every India is elated with this recognition and said when we speak of the glorious Maratha Empire, we associate it with good governance and emphasis on social welfare as 'Maratha Military Landscapes of India' got inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, becoming India's 44th property to receive this recognition. In a post on X, PM Modi said, "Every Indian is elated with this recognition. These 'Maratha Military Landscapes' include 12 majestic forts, 11 of which are in Maharashtra and 1 is in Tamil Nadu. When we speak of the glorious Maratha Empire, we associate it with good governance, military strength, cultural pride and emphasis on social welfare" Every Indian is elated with this recognition. These ‘Maratha Military Landscapes’ include 12 majestic forts, 11 of which are in Maharashtra and 1 is in Tamil Nadu. When we speak of the glorious Maratha Empire, we associate it with good governance, military strength, cultural… https://t.co/J7LEiOAZqy — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 12, 2025 "The great rulers inspire us with their refusal to bow to any injustice. I call upon everyone to go visit these forts and learn about the rich history of the Maratha Empire" In a remarkable decision taken at the 47th Session of the World Heritage Committee, India's official nomination for 2024-25 cycle, 'Maratha Military Landscapes of India' got inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, becoming India's 44th property to receive this recognition. This global accolade celebrates India's enduring cultural legacy, showcasing its diverse traditions of architectural brilliance, regional identity, and historical continuity, the Ministry of Culture said in an official statement. Spanning from the 17th to 19th centuries CE, this extraordinary network of twelve forts demonstrates the strategic military vision and architectural ingenuity of the Maratha Empire. The proposal was sent to the consideration of World Heritage Committee in Jan 2024 and after a rigorous eighteen-month long process involving several technical meetings with the advisory bodies and visit of ICOMOS's mission to review the sites, this historic decision was taken by the members of the World Heritage Committee today evening at UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, the Ministry said. Spread across the states of Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, the selected sites, include Salher, Shivneri, Lohgad, Khanderi, Raigad, Rajgad, Pratapgad, Suvarnadurg, Panhala, Vijaydurg, and Sindhudurg in Maharashtra, along with Gingee Fort in Tamil Nadu The inscription took place during 47th session of the World Heritage Committee in Paris, France, marking a significant milestone in the global acknowledgment of India's rich and diverse cultural heritage. During the Committee Meeting, 18 out of the 20 State Parties supported India's proposal to get this important site inscribed in the list. The discussion on the proposal went on for 59 mins and after the positive recommendations by 18 State Parties, all the member states, UNESCO, World Heritage Centre, and Advisory Bodies of the UNESCO (ICOMOS, IUCN IUCN) congratulated the delegation of India for this momentous opportunity. Last year, the Moidams of Charaideo, Assam were inscribed in the World Heritage List at the 46th Session of the World Heritage Committee held in New Delhi. India ranks 6th globally and 2nd in Asia Pacific Region for the most number of World Heritage Sites. 196 nations have ratified the World Heritage Convention, 1972. India also has 62 sites in the Tentative List of the World Heritage, which is a mandatory threshold for any site to be considered as a World Heritage property in future. Every year, each State Party may propose just one site for consideration of the World Heritage Committee for inscription to the World Heritage List, the release stated. (With inputs from Agencies)
12 July,2025 02:51 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentThe Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has released its preliminary probe report on the fatal Ahmedabad plane crash. The preliminary report launched by AAIB has put the spotlight on the fuel switches of the crashed Boeing 787-8 and the confusion between the two pilots over the switches being cut off. With the reports suggesting technical aspects of the aircraft, here is an explainer that will help you understand all the terminologies and will also let you know what exactly caused the Ahmedabad plane crash on June 12, 2025. To start off with fuel switches, are switches inside the cockpit that regulate the flow of fuel into an aircraft's engines. The switch basically has two positions—'RUN' and 'CUT OFF'—and is used to start or shut down engines.As reported by PTI, according to a veteran pilot, the position of a fuel switch cannot be changed accidentally, and there is a procedure in place. This indicates that the pilot who was flying the aircraft must have intentionally moved the switch from one position to another. The fuel switches are generally guarded with brackets so that no accidental movements can take place. Moreover, the switches also have to be first pulled up before changing their position, the veteran pilot said, as cited by news agency PTI. Talking about the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the fuel switches of these specific aircraft are generally located under the thrust levers. The plane that crashed at Ahmedabad on June 12 was also a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. In the case of the ill-fated AI 171 flight, the fuel switches to the two engines of the aircraft were cut off within a gap of one second, and later, they were switched on, the report by AAIB says. The veteran pilot, while explaining more about the technical aspect of an aircraft, said that "the thrust lever is like a car accelerator pedal; the more you open it, the more power you get, and the less you open it, the less power you get. There are two extreme positions—one is idle power, and one is full power. Then there is a fuel control switch, which has got two positions—cut off and run. So when you shut down the engine or the engine is not running, the fuel control switch is in cutoff mode, and fuel is being fed into the engine," as cited by PTI. Now when the engine starts, it is a two-step procedure where the start selector is put on and then fuel control is put to run mode, as per the veteran pilot. He further explained that "then automatically a lot of things happen inside. The engine starting to run means fuel is being fed into the engine. And the thrust lever is at idle, and the engine starts running at idle. Now this movement of the fuel control from cut off to run has an electronic gate because of which you have to deliberately pull the switch out and put it to run or pull it out and put it to cut off. That's a safety feature." "Now what has happened is after rotation, normally the moment the aircraft lifts off from the ground, there is an air-ground sensor in the tyre that senses and lets the aircraft system know, 'Now I am in the air,' or 'Now I am on the ground.' So the moment it senses in the air and we see it on our instrument that the aircraft is in a positive climb, which is the first step, the pilot flying should say, Gear up,” the veteran pilot asserted. "So what I see here is that neither the transcript has mentioned nor anybody is talking about whether the pilots call positive climb gear up or not. Why is the gear lever still down? What may have happened is at the point of wanting to gear up...for both engines, either deliberately or inadvertently, the switches were put off. So everyone forgot about the gear," he explained, as per news agency PTI. "And then one of the pilots asked why you put it off, and either he, the one who noticed it, or the pilot who cut it off realised, 'Oh, what have I done?' and they put it back to run, but it was too late," the pilot concluded. (With PTI Inputs)
12 July,2025 02:51 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentUnion minister Murlidhar Mohol on Saturday said the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB)'s report on the Ahmedabad plane crash was a preliminary one and conclusions cannot be drawn based on it as the conversation between the pilots was very brief, reported PTI. The Minister of State for Civil Aviation was talking to reporters in Pune about the investigation into the June 12 plane crash. The London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed into a medical college hostel in Ahmedabad moments after taking off from the city airport, killing all but one of the 242 onboard and another 19 on the ground in the deadliest aviation accident in a decade. The AAIB has released its preliminary report on the fatal Air India plane crash. It was found that the fuel supply to both engines was cut off within a second of each other, causing confusion in the cockpit and the airplane plummeting back to the ground almost immediately after taking off, reported PTI. The 15-page report says that in the cockpit voice recording, one unidentified pilot asked the other why he had cut off the fuel, which the other denied. Mohol said, "This is a preliminary report. We cannot draw any conclusions based on it. Earlier, in case of such accidents, the black box had to be sent abroad. Now, we can complete this investigation quickly ourselves. The AAIB is an independent body. There is no interference from the ministry in it," reported PTI. "No conclusions can be drawn based on the pilots' conversation as it is very brief. Further investigation is necessary. We should wait for that report," he added. On Friday, India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) released the preliminary report on the tragic crash of Air India flight AI171. The report outlines a harrowing sequence of events that unfolded within 90 seconds of takeoff, as both engines of the aircraft shut down unexpectedly during the initial climb, leading to a catastrophic loss of thrust and rapid descent. Flight data recovered from the aircraft's Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorder (EAFR) revealed that the fuel cutoff switches for both engines were inadvertently moved from RUN to CUTOFF, one after the other within a 1-second interval, at an altitude just moments after liftoff. One pilot was heard asking the other, "Why did you cut off?" to which the response was, "I did not." This uncommanded shutdown triggered the deployment of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT), and the aircraft began losing altitude almost immediately, unable to sustain powered flight. According to the AAIB, the pilots re-engaged the fuel switches in an attempt to relight both engines. Engine 1 showed signs of recovering thrust, but Engine 2 failed to stabilise. The aircraft, which had briefly reached a speed of 180 knots, was already descending and failed to regain altitude. The final distress call -- a "MAYDAY" -- was transmitted at 08:09 UTC, just seconds before the aircraft crashed into residential buildings outside the airport perimeter. (With inputs from PTI)
12 July,2025 02:50 PM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondentWith the view of making parts of Maharashtra naxal-free, the Gadchiroli Police have set up 71 libraries across the district. The libraries have been set up under the 'One Village, One Library' initiative. This initiative aims at countering Naxal influence by providing youth with education and employment opportunities, a police official said on Saturday. Earlier, the initiative, which was launched on January 18, 2023, began in Kotgul, a remote village near the Chhattisgarh border. It aims to establish one library in each village under the jurisdiction of a police station or outpost. Superintendent of Police (SP) Neelotpal, who is leading the project, told the media, "Two years ago, we started with just one library under the One Village One Library initiative. Today, 71 libraries are functioning across the district, and over 8,000 youth are actively using them," as cited by news agency ANI. SP further stated that the initiative has already helped hundreds of secure jobs, adding that "In areas like Nalgonda, we've connected remote libraries to Wi-Fi using police post connectivity. 205 of these young individuals have been selected for the police force, and many others have secured jobs in the revenue department. These libraries provide Wi-Fi, books, and access to online coaching, giving these students a platform to grow." According to SP Neelotpal, Maoist groups had earlier misled local youth, and the library project was designed to counter that. He further addressed that, "Before 2020, or even earlier, Maoist groups would mislead the youth and were not meaningfully engaged. To positively engage and provide opportunities to the youth of Gadchiroli, we started this initiative," as per ANI. Rakesh Lohambare, coordinator of the Kotgul Library, said the project has seen strong support from villagers. "To make this initiative successful, we involved not just the police department but also the local villagers. The library building was in ruins earlier; we renovated it with the community's help and provided all necessary facilities," Lohambare highlighted. Lohambare further added, "Today, apart from the students who study here regularly, even schoolchildren come and ask us if they can study here. This library has significantly boosted the confidence of the youth in our area." One of the students in Gadchiroli, Nandkumari Hidame, also expressed her happiness by stating that the library has changed her life. She even highlighted that, "Ever since I started coming to the library, I have felt a change within myself. I am preparing for the police recruitment exam. My village is 3 km away from here. Earlier, I had no idea about competitive exams, but I'm learning everything here. I'm hopeful that I'll clear the upcoming police exam," as cited by ANI. (With Inputs from ANI)
12 July,2025 02:43 PM IST | Gadchiroli | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
