Nepal plane crash: Over 50 killed, PM Modi, US offer condolences

Agencies
March 13, 2018

Kathmandu/Dhaka, Mar 13: A Bangladeshi passenger aircraft crashed and burst into flames while landing at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) here, killing at least 50 people, in Nepal’s worst aviation disaster in more than 25 years. The Dhaka to Kathmandu US-Bangla Airlines flight, with 67 passengers and four crew members on board, caught fire after it careened off the runway and ploughed into a football ground near the airport, TIA spokesperson Prem Nath Thakur said. Nepal army spokesman Brigadier General Gokul Bhandari said 50 people had died in the crash. There were 33 Nepalese nationals on board flight UBG 211, a Bombardier Dash 8 Q400. Others include 32 Bangladeshis, one Chinese and one Maldivian.

Bombardier is a twin-engine, medium-range and turboprop aircraft. “We are carrying out rescue work. We are collecting details,” TIA General Manager Raj Kumar Chhetri said. The black box of the aircraft was recovered from the spot, Chhetri said. The condition of over two dozen people who were admitted to the hospital in Kathmandu is said to be serious.

According to SSP Bishwaraj Pokharel, spokesperson at Kathmandu Metropolitan Police Range Office, 49 were confirmed dead in the crash. Plumes of black smoke could be seen rising from the football ground where the plane crashed. Several bodies that lay on the tarmac, covered with yellow cloth, were charred. The aircraft took off from Dhaka and landed at the airport at 2:20 pm (local time). “The plane shoot off the runway while it was about to crash into the hanger and immediately caught fire,” an airport official was quoted as saying by the Himalayan Times.

The officials, however, have said a technical glitch could be the cause of the accident. “The aircraft was permitted to land from the Southern side of the runway over Koteshwor but it landed from the Northern side,” Director General of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (Caan) Sanjiv Gautam was quoted as saying by the Kathmandu Post. He said the plane was “out of control” when it attempted to land on the runway. “We are yet to ascertain the reason behind the unusual landing,” he said suspecting the aircraft might have sustained some technical glitches.

In Dhaka, US-Bangla Airlines CEO Imran Asif said a conversation between the pilot, Abid Sultan, and the air traffic control or ATC of the airport indicated that the ATC sent “wrong signals’ to the pilot. “We are not accusing anyone now. We suspect it might have led to the crash,” he was quoted as saying by the bdnewss24. Basanta Bohora, a Nepalese and one of the few passengers to escape with injuries in the deadly plane crash, said he is lucky to be alive. “All of a sudden the plane shook violently and there was a loud bang afterwards,” he said. “I was seated near the window and was able to break out of the window,” he said. “I have received injuries to my head and legs but I am fortunate that I survived the ordeal.” All the flights to and from TIA have been halted after the crash.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa and Defense Minister Ishwar Pokharel visited the airport to oversee the rescue operation. The Dhaka-based US-Bangla Airlines is a private carrier that launched in July 2014 with the motto “Fly Fast Fly Safe”. The airlines is a unit of the US-Bangla Group, a US Bangladeshi joint venture company.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the Theni forest fire in Tamil Nadu and expressed anguished over loss of lives in a plane crash in Kathmandu and prayed for early recovery of the injured. Ten people, who were part of a trekking expedition, have been killed in a forest fire in the Western Ghats, the Tamil Nadu government said today. “My condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the Theni forest fire. I hope that those who are injured recover soon,” Modi said in a tweet. A 36-member team – 24 people from Chennai and 12 from Tiruppur and Erode districts – on a trekking expedition reached Kurangani hills on March 10. The team included 25 women and three children. The prime minister also expressed anguish over loss of lives in Kathmandu plane crash. “Deeply anguished by the loss of lives due to the plane crash in Kathmandu. My thoughts are with the families of the deceased and I pray that those injured recover at the earliest,” he said in another tweet.

The Bangladeshi passenger aircraft crashed and burst into flames today while landing at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) here, killing at least 50 people, in Nepal’s worst aviation disaster in more than 25 years. The Dhaka to Kathmandu US-Bangla Airlines flight, with 67 passengers and four crew members on board, caught fire after it careened off the runway and ploughed into a football ground near the airport, TIA spokesperson Prem Nath Thakur said. Nepal army spokesman Brigadier General Gokul Bhandari said 50 people had died in the crash. More than 20 injured were reportedly taken to Kathmandu Medical College for treatment of which seven were brought dead at the hospital. The remaining were undergoing treatment for serious burn injuries.

The US offered its sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims who were killed in a plane crash at the Tribhuvan International Airport. A Bangladeshi passenger aircraft crashed and burst into flames today while landing at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) here, killing at least 50 people, in Nepal’s worst aviation disaster in more than 25 years. The Dhaka to Kathmandu US-Bangla Airlines flight, with 67 passengers and four crew members on board, caught fire after it careened off the runway and ploughed into a football ground near the airport, TIA spokesperson Prem Nath Thakur said. “We offer our sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims,” a State Department Spokesperson said. “We are not aware of any request for US assistance at this time,” the spokesperson said. Nepal army spokesman Brigadier General Gokul Bhandari said 50 people had died in the crash. There were 33 Nepalese nationals on board flight UBG 211, a Bombardier Dash 8 Q400. Others include 32 Bangladeshis, one Chinese and one Maldivian.

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May 12,2024

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Bengaluru: Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Sunday said that the Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing into sexual abuse charges against Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, will not be going abroad to bring him back, and the Interpol will share information about him.

He also cautioned political leaders about making public statements or sharing information in connection with the case, which is sensitive.

The 33-year-old Prajwal Revanna, who is grandson of JD(S) patriarch and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, is facing charges of sexually abusing several women.

The scandal has raised a political storm with the ruling Congress and BJP-JD(S) engaged in a slugfest.

Prajwal Revanna is said to have flown abroad on April 27, a day after the first phase of Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka was held.

He was BJP-JD(S) alliance's joint candidate from Hassan Lok Sabha segment, which went to polls in the first phase.

"No, there is no such option. Blue Corner Notice has been issued and the Interpol will share the information. The respective country in which he is found or identified - they will inform them (Interpol) and then our agencies, the CBI will get to know, and through them we will get to know."

"So far there is no information," Parameshwara said.

He was responding to a question on reports about the SIT team travelling abroad in connection with the case.

Speaking to reporters, he said, "Investigation is going on, not to affect the investigation we don't want to share any information."

Responding to a question on Union Minister Pralhad Joshi's statement alleging conspiracy behind the arrest of BJP leader Devaraje Gowda, for making allegations against Congress leaders in connection with the case, Parameshwara said, "If anyone says anything I cannot react to it. We cannot respond to every public statement. As this is a serious case, we cannot share information until the investigation is completed."

"My request to the public and to our leaders is to be cautious while making statements. If not, based on the statements given by them, we may have to call them for investigation and record their statement under 41 A of CrPC," he added.

Asked whether JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy will also be served notice, the Minister said he is a former CM and that he believes that the former has taken this case seriously.

"Before giving any statements on this case or before sharing any information in the public domain, one has to be cautious, and this applies to all," he added.

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News Network
May 3,2024

Bengaluru: In a fresh development in the alleged Hassan sex abuse case, JD(S) MLA H D Revanna, who was accused of sexually harassing his house help, has been booked for kidnapping a victim allegedly sexually assaulted by his son, Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna. The case was filed late Thursday evening at the KR Nagar police station in Mysuru.

The 20-year-old complainant from KR Nagara accused one Sathish Babanna of taking his mother away forcibly and keeping her in an unknown location at the behest of Revanna.

As per the FIR, Revanna has been named as accused 1 while Babanna was accused 2. The duo were booked under IPC Sections 364A (kidnapping for ransom), 365 (kidnapping or abducting with intent secretly and wrongfully to confine a person) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).

The complainant claimed that his mother, whose name and age were not revealed, had worked as a help in Revanna’s house and farm in Holenarasipura for six years, quit the job three years ago and returned to KR Nagara. She then worked for daily wages.

“Nearly three to four days before the Lok Sabha election, Sathish Babanna, who is known to us and hailed from our native place, took my mother to Holenarasipura after saying that Bhavani Revanna, the wife of MLA Revanna, had asked for her,” the complainant alleged, adding that Babanna dropped her back on the day of the polls.

Babanna allegedly told the victim’s mother and father to remain silent and evade the police if they came looking for them and to inform him of the developments.

On April 29, at around 9 pm, when the complainant was home, the suspect Babanna arrived, told the complainant’s mother that Revanna had asked for her and took her away on his motorcycle. The complainant claimed that he wasn’t aware of where Babanna took his mother and he had told him that if the police found her, a case would be registered and they would all go to jail.

On May 1, two of the complainant’s relatives called him on the phone and told him that there was a video of his mother being sexually assaulted by Prajwal and that it was a huge case, the FIR noted. He was also informed by his two friends of his "mother's videos being circulated".

When he asked Babanna later that night, he was allegedly told that there was a photo of his mother standing with a stick when Prajwal had quarrelled with someone earlier and an FIR had been registered. Babanna told the complainant that his mother would have to be released on bail, the FIR noted.

“Babanna told me not to speak on the matter on my phone and asked me to talk from a different phone,” he said, seeking action from the police.

The case has been transferred to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up to probe the Hassan sex scandal as per the government order.

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News Network
May 12,2024

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Mangaluru: A native of Kerala was arrested on charge of misbehaving with crew on an Air India Express flight while travelling from Dubai to Mangaluru International Airport. The man even threatened to jump from the aircraft, according to officials. 

Siddartha Das, the security coordinator for Air India Express, lodged a complaint against the passenger, identified as Muhammad BC from Kannur, Kerala, after which he was caught by the airport security once the flight landed at Mangaluru. He was later handed over to the police.

DCP (Law and Order) Sidharth Goyal said the incident occurred on Flight IX814 on May 8.

When the flight was above the sea, Muhammad reportedly said he wanted to get off the plane, posing a threat to all on board. The unruly flyer was detained by airport security once the flight landed at Mangaluru International Airport and he was handed over to Bajpe police station officials.

Sources added once the flight took off from Dubai, the accused went to the lavatory and thereafter started inquiring with the cabin crew about a person named Krishna who was not on the flight. Muhammad kept on pressing the bell for in-flight assistance, even though the cabin crew members were near at hand. He then picked up a life jacket, gave it to a crew member, and said he wanted to use it upon landing.

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