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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)

Snakebite murder exposed after three years

Congress woman leader killed in chilling plot by husband, four arrested

Accused Rupesh Amberkar & Death Neerja Amberkar
Accused Rupesh Amberkar & Death Neerja Amberkar

Badlapur: Maharashtra has been rocked by the shocking revelation that a Congress party woman office-bearer was brutally murdered through a planned snakebite, allegedly orchestrated by her own husband with the help of a snake rescuer. After remaining hidden for three years as an accidental death, the case has now been cracked by the police, leading to the arrest of four accused, including the husband.


According to police investigations, Neerja Amberkar, a Congress office-bearer from Badlapur, was killed in a premeditated conspiracy in which a poisonous snake was deliberately used as a murder weapon. Her husband, Rupesh Amberkar, initially reported her death as accidental. At the time, no suspicious circumstances were found at the scene, and the post-mortem report also did not raise strong doubts, resulting in the case being registered as an Accidental Death Report (ADR).

 

However, over time, technical evidence, witness statements, and confidential information raised serious suspicions about the nature of the death. Acting on new inputs received around six months ago, police reopened the case and began a detailed reinvestigation.

 

Husband Confesses

During the renewed probe, police questioned the deceased woman’s family members, relatives, and local residents. Investigators found the husband’s behavior, his financial and domestic disputes, and his links with a snake rescuer to be suspicious. Under sustained interrogation, Rupesh Amberkar confessed to the crime, revealing that he had arranged for a poisonous snake to be brought into the house and used to kill his wife.


As per police findings, a poisonous snake was procured from a snake rescuer and kept in the house for three to four days. On the day of the incident, Neerja Amberkar was told that a massage therapist had been called to relieve her leg pain. She was asked to lie face down on a mat in the hall.

 

Under the pretext of giving a massage, one accused held her leg, while the snake rescuer removed the snake from a gunny bag kept in the kitchen using a stick and handed it to another accomplice. Rupesh Amberkar allegedly sat on Neerja’s back to restrain her, after which the snake was made to bite her near the left ankle three times, leading to her death.

 

Case Reopened

Neerja Amberkar, who was the Congress Assembly President from Murmad constituency in Badlapur, was murdered three years ago. Police officials stated that while investigating another case around six months ago, they received confidential information suggesting that her death was not natural. In December, an accused in a separate attempted murder case was arrested, and during his interrogation, crucial information linking the snakebite death to murder came to light. This breakthrough confirmed that the earlier ADR was, in fact, a homicide.

 

Police have arrested four accused in the case

• Rupesh Satishchandra Amberkar (40) – Husband of the deceased

• Rishikesh Ramesh Chalke – Resident of Aptewadi, Badlapur

• Kunal Vishwanath Chaudhary (25) – Resident of MHADA Colony, Sadguru Bungalow, Badlapur

• Chetan Vijay Dudhane (36) – Snake rescuer, resident of Ganesh Nagar, Badlapur

 

All the accused have been produced before the court. Police have also indicated that the doctors who prepared the initial post-mortem report will be questioned, as there is suspicion that certain aspects were overlooked during the initial examination.

 

While speaking to ‘The Perfect Voice’, Assistant Commissioner of Police Shailesh Kale said that ADR No. 53/2022 was registered at Badlapur East Police Station following Neerja Amberkar’s death. As no objections or suspicions were raised at the time and the medical opinion suggested no foul play, the case was closed. “However, based on confidential information received recently indicating that the death was a murder and not natural, we have been working on this case for the last six months. Four accused have been arrested in connection with this crime,” he stated.

 

The sensational murder case, exposed after three years, has sent shockwaves through political circles and the local community. Police have confirmed that further investigation is underway, and more startling details may emerge in the coming days.


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