LEAVES OF LOSS CELEBRATING SPECIALLY-ABLED 13 JULY 2025 3RD TEST: INDIA TRAIL ENGLAND BY 139 RUNS www.thestatesman.com X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 PAGE 16 SINCE 1818 PAGES 16 |` 5.00 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR WEATHER PARTLY CLOUDY SKY. VERY LIGHT TO LIGHT RAIN ACCOMPANIED WITH THUNDERSTORM/LIGHTNING. THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WOULD BE AROUND 36 AND 26 DEGREES CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY. RAINFALL: 012.9 MM RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 100 % TEMPERATURE The AAIB released its 15-page preliminary report of the probe into the tragic Air India plane crash NIKHIL VYAS NEW DELHI, 12 JULY Min. 67 % Max: 34.8 °C (-0.7) SUN RISES 05:33 hrs MOON RISES 21:23 hrs ‘Both fuel control switches cut off before AI-171 crash in Ahmedabad’ Min: 26.4 °C (-0.9) SUN SETS 19:22 hrs MOON SETS 08:42 hrs THUMBNAILS A black-hooded Oriole perches on the roof of a house at Karimpur Mahishbathan in Nadia on Saturday. ANI IIM-Calcutta student alleges rape in hostel, one detained: A second-year student of the Indian Institute of Management – Calcutta (IIM-C) was allegedly raped in the boys' hostel of the institute.The IIM student filed a rape complaint at Haridevpur Police Station on Friday night, stating that she was called to a boy's hostel for a discussion on the job counselling and offered pizza and cold drinks, after which she fell unconscious and later realised she had been raped. B oth fuel control switches supplying fuel to the engines of Air India flight 171 were turned off in quick succession, shutting down both the engines, before the plane crashed in Ahmedabad, seconds after taking off, revealed a preliminary report of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). The AAIB early on Saturday released its 15-page preliminary report of the probe into the tragic plane crash that resulted in the deaths of 260 individuals, including 229 passengers, 12 crew members, and 19 people on the ground in Ahmedabad on 12 June. The Air India Boeing 787-8 aircraft’s engine fuel control switches transitioned from ‘RUN’ to ‘CUTOFF’ position within three seconds after lift-off, cutting off fuel to the engines and leading to the plane crashing in just 34 seconds after taking off from Ahmedabad on 12 June, the AAIB said in its report. According to the report findings, one of the pilots can be heard on the cockpit voice recorder, asking the other why he cut off the fuel, to which the other pilot responded by saying that “he did not”. Speaking on the report, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said the AAIB's report is AI-171 crash probe report - Key takeaways l According to data from the aircraft’s black boxes, the Air India Boeing 787-8’s engine fuel control switches transitioned from ‘RUN’ to ‘CUTOFF’ position within three seconds after lift-off, cutting off fuel to the engines, leading to the aircraft almost immediately losing thrust. l One of the pilots can be heard on the cockpit voice recorder, asking the other why he cut off the fuel, to which the other pilot responded by saying that “he did not”. based on preliminary findings and one should not jump into conclusions till the final report is made public. “It will be very premature to comment on the report. The preliminary has come in but we have to wait for something concrete to come in," he told reporters. According to the 15-page report, the flight lasted around 30 seconds between lift-off and crash. The preliminary report ruled out sabotage. It also ruled out bird strikes or hazardous materials l The aircraft was deemed ruled out sabotage. It also ruled out bird strikes or hazardous materials as contributing factors. There was no evidence of birds on the flight path. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 12 JULY internal to India,” it said. “The Government of India continues to engage the international community on its position as well as Pakistan’s role in aiding and abetting terrorism in the region, particularly against India in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and beyond,” the report said India continues to raise the issue of terrorism emanating from Pakistan directed at India, at various bilateral and multilateral fora including at the UN, it said. The MEA further said instances of cross-border infil- INDIA bloc gears up for Bihar polls, seat-sharing talks gain momentum IMRAN MOJIB PATNA, 12 JULY The INDIA Alliance Coordination Committee held a marathon meeting in Patna on Saturday to discuss seat sharing as well as several other strategic matters related to the upcoming assembly elections in Bihar. However, the primary focus remained on the joint election manifesto of the alliance. Leaders from all constituent parties of the RJD-led alliance, including the Congress, Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), CPI-ML, CPI, and CPM, were present at the meeting, which was chaired by the Coordination Committee chief Tejashwi Yadav. Speaking to the media after the meeting, Tejashwi Yadav said that talks on seat sharing have begun and all parties have submitted seats of their choice. A final decision will be made soon. He rejected reports of disquiet in the alliance over seat sharing ahead of the upcoming Bihar assembly polls. Echoing his observation, VIP chief Mukesh Sahni said that discussions were held on seat sharing, and allied parties had submitted their list of claims on seats before the meeting. Seat sharing will be finalised soon. Representatives of other constituent parties of the alliance also said that there is no disagreement on any issue. The alliance is united and working strongly on election preparations. There is no confusion regarding leadership or seat sharing. They emphasised that their objective is the same — to oust the NDA from power. l Black box data indicated that the pilots tried to restore fuel to the engines, moving both fuel control switches back to the “RUN” position, approximately 10 seconds after the initial cutoff. Engine 1 responded and its core speed began to recover, with thrust levels rising. Engine 2 also relit, but failed to regain core speed despite multiple fuel injections. l The preliminary report by the AAIB airworthy, with its Airworthiness Review Certificate valid until May 2026. The engines had been installed in March and May 2025. as contributing factors. Both pilots were found fit to operate the aircraft during preflight tests and had adequate rest period. After the takeoff, “the aircraft achieved the maximum recorded airspeed of 180 Knots IAS at about 08:08:42 UTC and immediately thereafter, the Engine 1 and Engine 2 fuel cutoff switches transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF position one after another with a time gap of 01 sec,” the report said. “The Engine N1 and N2 began to decrease from their Pakistan-sponsored cross-border terrorism remains core concern: MEA India has consistently urged Pakistan to take concrete, verifiable and irreversible steps to curb terrorism emanating from Pakistan, said the latest annual report (2024) released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). “Several UN designated terrorists and terrorist entities continue to thrive in Pakistan,” the MEA said in its report. Pakistan has not demonstrated any sincerity in delivering justice to the families of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, the MEA said. “Pakistan engages in disinformation campaigns and anti-India propaganda globally to vilify India. The Indian government has completely and unequivocally rejected in entirety, all such actions and statements by Pakistan on matters which are completely l The aircraft achieved take-off speed at 13:38 IST and lifted off. Just four seconds later, both engines began shutting down. An emergency “Mayday” was transmitted at 13:39 IST. tration, ceasefire violations, illegal construction along the border, smuggling of narcotics and weapons and violation of bilateral agreements have also been regularly raised through diplomatic channels with Pakistan. “This has led to a greater awareness in the international community on Pakistan’s use of terrorism as a tool of statecraft,” it said. “Pakistan sponsored crossborder terrorism remains a core concern. India has persistently asked Pakistan to respect the January 2004 com- mitment of not allowing its soil/ territory under its control to be used for terrorism against India. There has been no letup in cross-border terrorism,” the report said. “The use of military-grade weapons, drones, communication equipment and underground tunnels for infiltration by terrorists, as well as smuggling of arms and narcotics into India across the Line of Control and the International Boundary clearly points to the existence of a state-supported terrorist ecosystem directed against India,” the MEA said. India continued to engage partners in cooperation on counter terrorism through Joint Working Groups on Counter Terrorism (JWG-CT) with 26 countries, the latest annual report (2024) released by the MEA detailed while highlighting the country's strong resolve in initiating collective action against terrorism. take-off values as the fuel supply to the engines was cut off.” The report further stated that in the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why did he cutoff. “The other pilot responded that he did not do so,” it added. The pilots apparently attempted to restore fuel to the engines, but according to the report, while Engine 1 showed signs of restarting, but Engine 2 failed to regain core speed despite multiple fuel injections. Pilots’ association insists on fair probe into AI plane crash STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 12 JULY Raising objections to a preliminary report released by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) regarding the tragic Air India plane crash on 12 June in Ahmedabad, the Airline Pilots' Association of India on Saturday said the tone and direction of the probe into the plane crash suggest “a bias toward pilot error”. Reacting to the report, the pilots' association in a media statement said: “The tone and direction of the investigation suggest a bias toward pilot error. We categorically reject this presumption and insist on a fair, fact-based inquiry.” Claiming a lack of transparency in the investigation, the association expressed reservations over the release of the preliminary report into the tragic crash of Air India flight AI171 to the media, and said that it was "leaked" without any official signature. It also flagged the issue of experienced personnel, especially line pilots, not being included in the investigation team. Six die after building collapses in Seelampur STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 12 JULY Six people, including a toddler, lost their lives after a fourstorey building collapsed in Northeast Delhi’s Seelampur, leaving several others injured who were trapped under the debris, the Delhi Fire Service (DFS) official said on Saturday. The deceased were identified as Javed, 23 (M); Abdulla, 15 (M); Zubia, 27 (F); Matloob, 50 (M); Rabia, 46 (F); and a two-year-old child. The collapsed structure was a ground-plus-threefloor building, a fire officer confirmed. “Several people have been rushed to the hospital; also, it is feared that more people are trapped under the rubble,” they said. Adding to it, the fire department mentioned, “We were informed about the situation at around 7:05 am. Responding to it, seven fire tenders were immediately sent to the reported location.” According to the Delhi Police, they received information about a building collapse in the cited area at 7:04 at the Welcome police station, to which a team was dispatched to the spot. (More reports on page 2) Indian legal system is in bad need of fixing: CJI STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE HYDERABAD, 12 JULY Facing unique challenges, the Indian legal system is in bad need of fixing, said the Chief Justice of India, BR Gavai, today. Citing the delays in trial, the Chief Justice reminded that there have been cases where people were found innocent after spending decades in jail as undertrials. Addressing the annual convocation of the National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR) University of Law in Hyderabad, CJI BR Gavai said: “Our legal system is in bad need of fixing and I remain cautiously optimistic that my fellow citizens will rise to the challenges.” Citing the ills plaguing the legal system, the CJI said: “Our country and our legal system are facing unique challenges. Delays in trials can sometimes go for decades. We have seen cases where someone has been found innocent after spending years in jail as an undertrial, and the best talent can help us resolve the problems.” The CJI also spoke about the challenges of the legal profession, pointing out that it could be emotionally isolating and mentally demanding. He also had a word of caution for those seeking foreign degrees. He reminded young students that they should not go for huge loans, putting the family under financial stress, to acquire foreign degrees just for validation. Instead, he advised them to secure scholarships to pursue foreign degrees. He warned about “Years of debt, anxiety, and career decisions made under financial burden,” once young graduates take loans worth Rs 50-Rs 70 lakh to pursue a master's degree in foreign universities. The CJI later spoke at Osmania University on Dr BR Ambedkar’s contribution to the Indian Constitution. Pointing out how the Indian Constitution differed from that of the US Constitution, where each state had its own Constitution, Gavai reminded that Ambedkar had said that to keep India united, the situation warranted a single Constitution, applicable to all citizens and all the states. “In the journey of the last 75 years, though we had many external aggressions, internal disturbances, but India has always remained strong and united and in my respectful opinion the contribution of the Constitution of India in keeping the country strong is totally invaluable,” said the CJI. ‘Terrorism cannot be answered by anyone other than PM & BJP’ STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE with violence, corruption, and appeasement politics. “Corruption-free governance, zero discriminatory practices in jobs and end of vote bank politics are the three key visions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi about Viksit Kerala,” Shah said and added “there will be no developed Kerala without the BJP.” Highlighting the ambitious projects of the Narendra Modi government and talking about development, Shah pointed out that rail development worth Rs 3700 crore is underway in Kerala. He said that while the BJP's THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, 12 JULY Union home minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah on Saturday said the Modi government at the Centre has stopped the politics of religious extremism in Kerala. Addressing party workers at the BJP's ward-level leadership meeting held at Putharikandam Maidan here, Amit Shah said that it was the Narendra Modi-led Central government that effectively put an end to the politics of religious extremism that once thrived in the state. Slamming the LDF government in Kerala over its silence on the activities of the banned outfit Popular Front of India (PFI), Amit Shah asked “What steps has the Kerala government taken against the PFI?” The union Home Minister said India will be free of Naxalism by 31 March, 2026.He claimed that terrorism cannot be answered by anyone other than PM Modi and BJP. “We answered Uri attack by surgical strike, Pulwama attacks by air strikes, 'Operation Sindoor se ghar mein ghus ke maara," he said. He urged the people of Kerala to bring the BJP to power in the 2026 Assembly elections and instructed party workers to begin preparations in earnest. He said that the people of Kerala gave repeated opportunities to both the LDF and UDF, and were repaid goal is the development of Kerala, the CPI-M’s focus is on the development of its cadre. Criticising the state's political history, he said that the people of Kerala gave repeated opportunities to both the LDF and UDF, and were repaid with violence, corruption, and appeasement politics. Shah alleged that back-to-back LDF and UDF governments have been trying to inculcate antinational sentiments in the state. 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'," Shah said. Earlier in the day, Shah inaugurated Mararji Bhavan, the party's new state committee office. Accompanied by BJP state president Rajeev Chandrashekar, the minister hoisted the party flag and inaugurated the building by cutting a ribbon.