14062025-TTC-01.qxd 6/14/2025 12:38 AM Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 145 NO. 163 | 20 PAGES | ~7.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881 NC, PDP DEFEND URDU’S INCLUSION FOR GOVT ENTRANCE EXAM J&K /thetribunechd POLICE INQUIRIES WITHOUT FIRS CLOSED, HC TOLD PUNJAB FOREX RESERVES JUMP $5.17 BN TO $696.65 BN BUSINESS INDIA, CHINA TO RESUME TRADE TALKS, SHARING OF RIVER DATA BACK PAGE saturday | 14 june 2025 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com Black box found, AI 787 fleet check ordered Eight bodies identified so far, handed over to family members Modi visits crash site, checks on injured at hospital AHMEDABAD TRAGEDY Ujwal Jalali Ujwal Jalali Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Ahmedabad, June 13 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday visited the site of the Air India Flight AI 171 crash near Ahmedabad and met injured victims at the Civil Hospital here. Arriving early in the day, Modi surveyed the wreckage at BJ Medical College in the Meghaninagar area. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner had on Thursday plunged into a medical college hostel block just seconds after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. He was briefed by officials from the National Disaster Response Force, aviation authorities and local administrators coordinating recovery and investigation efforts. “The scene of devastation is saddening. Met officials and teams working tirelessly in the aftermath. Our thoughts remain with those who lost their loved ones in this unimaginable tragedy,” Modi said. The PM then proceeded to the Civil Hospital in Asarwa, where many of the injured, including students and staff continued on page 8 Ahmedabad, June 13 A day after Air India Flight AI171 plunged into a doctors’ hostel complex in Ahmedabad, killing 241 people on board and another 24, including five MBBS students, on the ground, investigators recovered the aircraft’s digital flight data recorder (DFDR) — commonly known as the black box — from the rooftop of the crash site, offering the first major lead into Thursday’s aviation catastrophe. In a parallel development, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) ordered enhanced inspections across Air India’s fleet of Boeing 787 aircraft — 33 in total. Meanwhile, only eight bodies had been formally identified and handed over to their families as of Friday evening. The black box, found on top of the BJ Medical College hostel building into which the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed, was retrieved within 28 hours of the disaster, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu confirmed on X. “This marks an important step forward in the investiga- Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits the Air India AI-171 flight crash site in Ahmedabad on Friday. ANI NIA OFFICIALS VISIT PLANE CRASH SITE Officials of the NIA and other central agencies’ on Friday visited the Ahmedabad plane crash site. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau has also started a probe into the crash. INSIDE tion. This will significantly aid the inquiry into the incident,” he posted. While the DFDR has been secured, search teams are still combing the debris for the cockpit voice recorder (CVR), the second black box crucial to under- LIC EASES CLAIM PROCESS SEARCH ON FOR COCKPIT FOR VICTIMS’ FAMILIES VOICE RECORDER Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) on Friday said it had relaxed its claim settlement process for Air India plane crash victims and also expedited the mechanism. standing crew conversations and cockpit audio in the final moments before the impact. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), which is leading the probe, confirmed the recovery and is now analysing the data to Israel hits Iran’s N-sites, kills top military brass, scientists Dubai, June 13 Israel attacked Iran early Friday in strikes that took out top military officers and hit nuclear and missile sites, raising the potential for an all-out war between the two bitter West Asian adversaries. It appeared to be the most significant attack Iran has faced since its 1980s war with Iraq. Simmering tensions over Iran’s rapidly advancing nuclear programme boiled over and Iran quickly retaliated, sending a swarm of drones at Israel as supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned of “severe punishment”. Israel conducted fresh strikes on Iran late at night, targeting Fordow — near the holy city of Qom — a second nuclear site which had been spared in the first wave of attacks. Iran responded by launching missiles at Israeli targets. Countries in the region condemned Israel’s attack, while leaders around the globe called for immediate de-escalation from both sides. Israel’s military said about 200 aircraft were While the DFDR has been found, search is on for the cockpit voice recorder, the second black box crucial to understanding crew conversations and cockpit audio in final moments before the crash. reconstruct the plane’s final trajectory. Officials said over 40 experts from central and state agencies were assisting in the investigation. The DGCA ordered enhanced continued on page 8 SPECIAL COVERAGE PAGE 9 Thousands get tax notices over crypto, digital asset investments Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service Rescuers work at the scene of a damaged building in Tehran. REUTERS 16 AI FLIGHTS DIVERTED NETANYAHU DIALS MODI Sixteen long-haul Air India flights were diverted following Israel’s attack on Iran and the subsequent closure of the Iranian airspace. IndiGo also said some flight routes might be impacted. Netanyahu dialled PM Modi to brief him on the evolving West Asia situation. “I shared India’s concerns and emphasised the need for early restoration of peace in the region,” Modi said on X. OPED A FLASHPOINT: WILL IRAN CROSS NUCLEAR RUBICON? involved in the initial attack on about 100 targets. Two security officials said the country’s Mossad spy agency was also able to posi- tion explosive drones inside Iran ahead of time and then activate them to target missile launchers at an Iranian continued on page 8 New Delhi, June 13 Unaccounted incomes invested by individuals and entities are under government’s active scanner with the Central Bureau of Direct Taxes issuing notices to thousands to declare undeclared assets. Top government sources said the apex tax body is investigating tax evasion and laundering of unaccounted income by high-risk persons through investment in cryptocurrency. “Such entities and individuals that are engaged in virtual digital asset (VDA) transactions and have failed to comply with the Income Tax Act, 1961, have been identified for verification,” CBDT officials said. Government data analytics units have revealed that a significant number of persons have violated provisions of the Act by not filing Schedule VDA of income tax returns and offering tax on the income earned at lower rate or claiming cost indexation. continued on page 8 Apache makes emergency landing, 2nd in week Vijay Mohan Tribune News Service An IAF Apache helicopter after landing at a village in Pathankot. PTI Chandigarh, June 13 An Apache attack helicopter of the IAF made a precautionary landing in the fields near Pathankot on Friday afternoon. This is the third such incident involving this type of helicopter in the past year and second in a week. The helicopter touched down in the fields adjacent to Nangalpur village in Pathankot district following a cockpit emergency warning. Local administration officials said there was no damage to property or injury to any person in the incident. The twoman crew is also said to be CREW SAFE, NO DAMAGE ■ The helicopter touched down in the fields adjacent to Nangalpur village in Pathankot district following a cockpit emergency warning ■ Officials said there was no damage to property or injury to any person in the incident. The twoman crew is also said to be safe safe. IAF personnel from the Pathankot airbase, where the Apache helicopters are based, arrived at the site to inspect the helicopter and take remedial action. In the past, there have been instances when other types of helicopters continued on page 8 c m y b AirIndiaflightmakes ‘emergency’landing BANGKOK: An Air India flight from Phuket bound for New Delhi received an onboard bomb threat on Friday and made an emergency landing back on the Thai island, airport authorities said. All 156 passengers on flight AI 379 were escorted safely from the plane. No suspicious devices were found. — Reuters 2 Nihangs held for influencer’s murder Prime Minister Narendra Modi enquires about the health of lone survivor Viswash Kumar Ramesh at a hospital in Ahmedabad on Friday. ANI Flew out with seat, blast followed, recalls survivor Ujwal Jalali Tribune News Service Ahmedabad, June 13 In a catastrophe that reduced a gleaming aircraft to charred debris and claimed 241 lives, one man walked out alive — Viswash Kumar Ramesh. The 40-year-old British-Indian businessman was seated in 11A on Air India Flight AI-171 when it lifted off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1:38 pm on Thursday. Minutes later, the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner — bound for London Gatwick — plunged from the sky, tearing through the southern wing of a residential doc- WONDER HOW I’M ALIVE I still don’t know how I’m breathing. How I am even alive... I didn’t jump. The seat flew out with me strapped in. ❝ BATHINDA: The police on Friday arrested two Nihangs in the murder case of social media influencer Kanchan Kumari, saying the killing was the result of “moral policing”. SSP Amneet Kondal said the accused had earlier warned Kanchan, popularly known as Kamal Kaur Bhabhi, over her content, which they found objectionable. INSIDE Viswash Kumar Ramesh, THE LONE SURVIVOR Won’tteachhistoryof foreigninvaders:VC tors’ hostel in Meghaninagar. Rescue workers were stunned to find him alive. “I still don’t know how I’m breathing. How I am even alive..Everyone around me died,” Viswash whispered to a nurse at the Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad. Seated near the emergency exit, Viswash continued on page 8 GONDA: Maa Pateshwari State University in UP will no longer teach the history of “foreign invaders”, said VC Prof Ravishankar Singh on Friday. The VC said, “Those who destroyed Indian culture will not be glorified in the university’s textbooks and curriculum. Our primary focus will be on Indian culture.” — PTI