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Correspondent

23 August 2024 at 4:29:04 pm

Exit that shocked the nation

Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, four others killed in plane crash; Probe begins into the reasons for the crash Mumbai: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four other persons on board an aircraft were killed after it crashed near the Baramati airport in Pune district on Wednesday. Pawar had taken off from Mumbai in the morning to address four rallies in the day in Pune district for the February 5 zilla parishad elections. The others killed in the tragedy were Captain Sumit Kapoor, who had a...

Exit that shocked the nation

Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, four others killed in plane crash; Probe begins into the reasons for the crash Mumbai: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four other persons on board an aircraft were killed after it crashed near the Baramati airport in Pune district on Wednesday. Pawar had taken off from Mumbai in the morning to address four rallies in the day in Pune district for the February 5 zilla parishad elections. The others killed in the tragedy were Captain Sumit Kapoor, who had a flying experience of 15,000 hours, co-pilot Capt. Shambhavi Pathak with 1,500 hours of flying, Personal Security Officer (PSO) Vidip Jadhav and flight attendant Pinky Mali. The government released a statement detailing the sequence of events that led to the crash and Pawar's death. The aircraft, a Learjet, was cleared for landing in Baramati on Wednesday morning after a go-around due to poor visibility, but having finally received a clearance it did not give any read-back' to the ATC, and moments later burst into flames on the edge of the runway. In aviation parlance, a go-around is a standard procedure where a pilot discontinues a landing attempt and initiates a climb to fly another approach. It is used when a landing cannot be completed safely due to factors like poor weather, an unstable approach, or traffic on the runway. It is a proactive safety measure rather than an emergency. In aviation, a readback is a crucial safety procedure where a pilot repeats back the essential parts of a message or instruction received from Air Traffic Control (ATC). It acts as a "closed-loop" communication system, ensuring that the controller's instructions were heard and understood correctly by the flight crew. The aircraft was trying to land amid poor visibility, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu told reporters in Pune. The statement by his ministry recounted the final minutes of the ill-fated Learjet 45 belonging to VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd that crashed, leading to the death of all five persons on board, including Pawar. Fatal Flight The ill-fated aircraft was a Bombardier Learjet 45, a twin-engine business jet commonly used for corporate and charter travel. Designed to carry between six and nine passengers, the Learjet 45 has a range of approximately 2,000 nautical miles and is powered by twin turbofan engines. The aircraft involved in the crash belonged to a charter operator and was being used for a non-scheduled private flight.According to preliminary information from aviation authorities and Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) sources, the aircraft encountered severe weather conditions while approaching Baramati. Dense fog enveloped the Pune–Baramati region at the time, drastically reducing visibility and complicating the landing procedure. Probe Begins A team from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has reached the Baramati crash site to launch a forensic probe into the VSR Venture's Learjet 45 aircraft accident. "The investigation team has reached the (crash) site. They are on the work," the AAIB official told PTI. The official, however, declined to share further details. Earlier in the day, AAIB, which has the mandate to investigate all accidents and serious incidents/incidents involving aircraft with a gross weight of 2,250 kg or turbojet aircraft, was handed the probe into the crash. The aircraft, bearing registration VT-SSK, was being operated by the Delhi-based non-scheduled operator VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd. The crew was advised to descend in visual meteorological conditions at the pilot's discretion, the Civil Aviation Ministry said in its statement. At that time, the winds were calm, and visibility was around 3,000 metres, it said. Baramati airfield does not have an instrumental landing system - a precision radio navigation system that provides short-range guidance to an aircraft, allowing it to approach a runway at night, during bad weather and poor visibility. Ajit Pawar's last rites will be held with full state honours on Thursday in Baramati. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is expected to attend the funeral, which will be held at Vidya Pratishthan ground at 11 am. The Maharashtra government on Wednesday declared three days of state mourning across state till January 30 as a mark of respect to Ajit Pawar. The national flag will be flown at half-mast on all buildings where it is flown regularly. There will be no official entertainment during the mourning period. “Ajit's death was a big shock for Maharashtra, which has lost a hardworking and efficient leader. This loss is irreparable. Not all things are in our hands. A stand was floated from Kolkata that there is some politics involved in this incident. But there is nothing like this. There is no politics in it. It was an accident. I request not to bring politics into it.” Sharad Pawar, President, NCP (SP)

Clear all roads within 24 hours: HC to govt

Mumbai: Taking strong note of the massive disruptions to normal life in the city, the Bombay High Court directed the government to clear off Maratha activists - led by Shivba Sanghatana President Manoj Jarange-Patil - who have laid siege to all roads in south Mumbai by Tuesday afternoon.


Conducting a special hearing to a bunch of petitions filed by the Army Foundation and others today, a division bench comprising Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad, noted that the Maratha pro-quota protesters have not remained at Azad Maidan - the designated place for the agitation - but blocked several vital areas in south Mumbai.


The state Advocate-General Birendra Saraf, lawyers of the petitioners and the Marathas as well as intervenors were present in full strength before the HC, and after hearing all sides, the court listed a series of directions to both sides voicing concerns over dislocations caused in Mumbai.


These included a go-ahead to the administration to initiate legal action as the protests lack official approval and directing the concerned authorities to prevent more Marathas from entering the city.


Terming the situation as “grim, with entire Mumbai practically at a standstill”, the judges said that the agitation was not peaceful, Jarange-Patil and others had flouted all conditions imposed by the administration when they were granted permission for the peaceful protest at Azad Maidan.


The judges also directed the authorities to immediately clear off and clean up all the roads near the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Fort, Marine Drive, Churchgate and other parts and to restrict the protestors within the Azad Maidan itself, while posting the matter for hearing on Tuesday at 3 pm.


Questioning the government on how educational institutions and supply of essentials like milk and vegetables could continue if the protests continued, the judges noted with concern how even the high court proceedings were directly hit by the agitation as the entry routes of judges were also blocked.


Justice Ghuge and Justice Ankhad emphatically told Jarange-Patil’s lawyers that “no more than 5000 protestors could remain in the city”, asked whether they would adhere to the court’s earlier orders (August 26) and also if they would issue a media statement asking all excess demonstrators to leave Mumbai, while asking the government to provide medical aid to Jarange-Patil and food plus other amenities to the protestors.


The court’s rap occurred on the fourth day of the massive Maratha agitation spearheaded by Jarange-Patil that kicked off in Mumbai from Aug. 28 at Azad Maidan, with the state government saying it had not given permission for it.


After viewing the videos and photos of the situation with massive Maratha crowds hanging around, the jammed roads and railway stations, dancing, bathing, cooking and defecating in open places, causing massive inconvenience to the people, the judges sought their cooperation and stressed on the need to restore normalcy, especially with the upcoming Anant Chaturdashi - the Ganesh visarjan ceremonies on September 6.


Out of hand

The judges told the lawyers of Maratha groups that the agitation had gone “out of hand”, with a warning that Mumbai cannot become a hostage due to choked roads, questioning the government’s move on granting the protest permissions.


Noting media reports with Jarange-Patil threatening a fast-unto-death after going off water since Monday, vowing not to leave Mumbai till his demands for 10 pc reservations are conceded from the OBC category, the court said that the organizers had lost control over their activists.


From the Jarange-Patil side, advocates Shriram Pingle, Ramesh Dubey-Patil, and Vaibhav Kadam were present besides others from the petitioners and intervenors.


"Follow the high court's orders. Don't trouble Mumbaikars. Don't roam on streets, park vehicles in designated areas. Those who don't want to listen to me can return to their villages. Our people don't misbehave with journalists and indulge in hooliganism. I don't want the aspersions to be cast on my caste. I am going through a lot of pain and suffering for you and your children. If you behave in such a manner, then what's the use (of the agitation)?"

Manoj Jarange

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