- 16 hours ago
An exclusive India Today report based on an RTI reveals a critical staff shortage within India's aviation regulator, the DGCA, with a 44% vacancy in the Airworthiness Wing and 30 vacant posts in the Air Safety Wing.
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00:00Hello and welcome, I'm Sonal Mayer Otra Kapoor, this is 5 Live.
00:04On the programme today, we've got five stories for you
00:06that should really be important as far as aviation is concerned.
00:12Also, what is this new vaccine, the HPV vaccine
00:17that the government is constantly talking about?
00:19Why should you take it, if at all?
00:21And then we also look into this peculiar case.
00:25A woman had her pet dog fully vaccinated,
00:29lick one of her wounds that landed her with a massive sepsis case.
00:35She ended up having several cardiac erecs
00:38and her hands and feet had to be amputed.
00:41So for all you pet owners,
00:43what is the thing that you need to be careful about?
00:46Not get scared about, but be careful about.
00:49With that, let's take a look at what's making headlines at the top of this hour.
00:56Politics over naked, Rajniti peaks,
00:58Indian Youth Congress President Uday Bhanu
01:00has now been arrested for the shirtless protest at the AI summit.
01:04Cops claim that he was the mastermind.
01:06They also said that the shirtless stir is planned and also criminal conspiracy.
01:12Rahul Gandhi, on the other hand, says that he is proud of his Bambar Sher comrades.
01:20All seven people dead in the Jharkhand air ambulance crash.
01:24Jharkhand officials say that the crash occurred due to a thunderstorm.
01:28The family of a 41-year-old man who was amongst the seven victims
01:31had taken a loan actually of 8 lakh rupees to even hire the chartered plane,
01:37that air ambulance involved in that tragic incident.
01:40Sanjay, the burn victim, was being transported to Delhi for advanced treatment.
01:46As India's aviation sector has been hit by repeated tragedies,
01:51just like the one I mentioned earlier,
01:53an RTI reply that India today has sought
01:57tells you just the reason why we are seeing so many air tragedies happen.
02:03We have learned that the DGCA, that's Director General of Civil Aviation,
02:08is facing significant staff shortages,
02:11even as overseas airlines, chartered operations,
02:15maintenance organisations and air safety
02:17is one of the world's fastest growing aviation market.
02:23A 21-year-old son has been accused of killing his father in Lucknow.
02:29The brutal murder followed an argument reportedly linked to pressure over neat examination.
02:36The police say the accused allegedly shot his 50-year-old father in a fit of rage,
02:42then dismembered his body and hid it in a blue drum.
02:48A major identity shift in God's own country.
02:52In a landmark decision,
02:53the central government has moved an official align the state's name
02:58with its linguistic roots,
03:00paving the way for the historic change.
03:03Kerala will now be Keralam.
03:11Are the vegetables in your kitchen safe?
03:15Lead contaminations found in 26% of vegetable samples in Bengaluru.
03:21Out of 72 vegetable samples collected from the local markets in and around Bengaluru,
03:2619 were found to be contaminated with lead, a toxin-heavy metal.
03:31The report has now been submitted to the National Green Tribunal.
03:35Remember, this was a test done only in Bengaluru,
03:38so we don't know the real depth of this lead menace.
03:45India strengthens its fight against cervical cancer.
03:48The central government is set to launch a nationwide HPV vaccination drive
03:53for girls aged between 9 to 14 to prevent cervical cancer.
03:57The vaccine will likely be given to girls initially as a one-time catch-up,
04:02following which there will likely be added routine immunization calendar
04:07for girls between 9 to 14 years of age.
04:12Stock markets fall sharply today,
04:15with the BSE Sensex dropping around 990 points
04:19and the Nifty slipping below 25,500.
04:24The decline was mainly due to heavy selling in IT shares
04:28and investors fearing the fast growth in artificial intelligence
04:31that could impact traditional tech companies.
04:36A historic winter storm called Bomb Cyclone
04:41batters the northeastern part of the United States.
04:44More than 11,000 flights grounded
04:47and more than 5 lakh homes and businesses left without power.
04:52According to the meteorologist,
04:53this is the strongest storm in a decade,
04:56dumping more than two feet of snow in the region.
05:02The much-awaited wedding festivities of actor Vijay Devakonda
05:08and Rashmika Mandana have begun ahead of the wedding.
05:11The couple fans with exclusive, you know,
05:14inside glimpse of the venue, the decor, the delicacies.
05:17The couple will get married on the 26th of February
05:20at the ITC Hotel in Udaipur.
05:29Our top story today.
05:31There is clearly not the best time
05:34that is going on for India's aviation sector.
05:37From the devastating Air India aircraft crash
05:40that killed over 250 people
05:42to the recent operational chaos involving Indigo
05:45that threw flight schedules into disarray.
05:48To the plane, the private plane accident
05:51that claimed the life of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Bawar.
05:55Just in the past 24 hours alone,
05:58there have been at least three incidents,
06:01one of them resulting into deaths as well.
06:05An air ambulance crashed in Jharkand.
06:07Everyone on board could not make it.
06:10The Pavan Hans helicopter crash
06:12landed in Andavan and Nicobar Islands
06:14after a mid-air snag.
06:16Luckily, all seven people on board
06:17were actually rescued safely.
06:19And then you had a scare
06:21on the SpiceJet Delhi lay flight.
06:23It was diverted back to Delhi
06:25due to a technical snag.
06:27Remember, just these three things reported
06:30in just the past 24 hours.
06:32And we've spoken about the big tragedies
06:34we've seen in the past year
06:36to even in the past five years
06:38that have been emerging.
06:40All of this points to just one thing.
06:44Our aircrafts and choppers
06:46aren't inspiring a lot of confidence
06:49at the moment.
06:50But beyond that lies a much larger
06:53and far more serious question.
06:55Is India's aviation watchdog
06:59struggling to safeguard our skies?
07:02India today can now reveal
07:04that the Director General of Civil Aviation,
07:06the DGCA,
07:07which is sort of the key body there,
07:09is battling significant staff shortages
07:14even as it is tasked
07:16with overseeing airlines,
07:18charter operators,
07:19maintenance organizations
07:20and air safety compliances
07:21across the world's fastest
07:23growing aviation market.
07:25Let's look at the numbers
07:26that we got
07:27as India today's reporters
07:29filed an RTI
07:30asking this question.
07:32In the airworthiness wing,
07:34the division responsible
07:36for aircraft maintenance,
07:38oversight and technical compliance,
07:40there are 310 sanctioned posts.
07:45Only 174 are filled as we speak.
07:48That leaves 136 vacancies,
07:51a percentage terms,
07:52it's about 44% positions
07:54are unoccupied.
07:56In the air safety wing,
07:58which conducts surveillance,
08:00audits, monitor safety protocols,
08:02116 posts are sanctioned
08:05and only 86 currently hold.
08:10That means again,
08:1130 vacancies in the department
08:13directly responsible
08:14for monitoring operational safety.
08:17These revelations
08:19come after an RTI application
08:21sought detailed information
08:22about DGCA's oversight mechanisms,
08:25particularly its audits
08:27of non-scheduled operations,
08:29private and charter aircraft
08:31that falls squarely
08:33under the regulatory ambit.
08:35And this was given in a response.
08:38Detailed information
08:39was requested on DGCA audits
08:41of these operators.
08:43The response did not provide
08:45specifics sought at all.
08:47The application also asked
08:48whether there has been instances
08:50of expired aircraft components
08:52being used.
08:53Again, no details,
08:54disclosures were made there.
08:56Comprehensive findings
08:57from earlier crash investigations
08:59also sought information
09:01that could help identify
09:02the recurring gaps
09:03or systemic failures.
09:05Those details also
09:06not furnished.
09:08The DGCA, however,
09:10has clarified
09:10why it could not furnish
09:12these details as well.
09:14The regulator stated
09:16that concerned
09:17central public information officer
09:19or the CPIO handling
09:20only matters related
09:22to carder management
09:23or that is group A technical.
09:24It's a bit of a technicality
09:25there behind which they're hiding.
09:27And according to DGCA,
09:28the specific information
09:29sought in the RTI application
09:31does not form part of
09:33records maintained
09:35by the particular office.
09:38Let that sink in.
09:41The regulator further added
09:42that the application
09:44has been forwarded
09:45to another concerned CPIO
09:47within the DGCA
09:48for appropriate action
09:49and response.
09:50However,
09:51when it came to
09:52staffing strengths,
09:53the RTI's response
09:55has confirmed
09:55what it perhaps
09:57most concerning
09:58at the moment.
09:59Multiple key departments
10:01within the DGCA
10:02are operating below
10:03the sanctioned capacity.
10:06So while critical audit
10:07and compliance data
10:08are not shared,
10:09what did emerge clearly
10:10is that the regulator
10:12itself is stretched.
10:15And why exactly
10:16does that matter?
10:17Because over the past decade,
10:19India has witnessed
10:20several fatal
10:21civil aviation crashes
10:22involving commercial airlines
10:24as well as charter
10:25and private aircraft.
10:26In June 2018,
10:28the Beechcraft King Air
10:30C-90 charter aircraft
10:32crashed in Mumbai's
10:34Galt Koper.
10:35That was shortly
10:36after take-off,
10:37killing all four on board
10:38and a pedestrian
10:39on the ground.
10:40In August of 2020,
10:41tragedy struck
10:42at the Khorikot
10:43when Air India Express
10:45Flight 1344
10:46overshot a tabletop runway
10:48during heavy rain.
10:4919 passengers
10:50and both pilots
10:51lost their life.
10:52The final probe report
10:53cited pilot error
10:54which is always the case
10:55but we never really
10:56get to know.
10:57In June 2025,
10:59one of the deadliest
11:00aviation disasters
11:01in recent
11:02Indian aviation
11:03unfolded
11:04in the Air India
11:05Flight 171.
11:06A Boeing 787
11:07bound to London
11:09remember crashed
11:09shortly after take-off
11:10from Ahmedabad.
11:11241 passengers
11:13and 19 crew members
11:14were killed.
11:15Detailed investigation
11:16still underway.
11:17There again,
11:18some reports
11:19were said
11:19that it's pilot error
11:20because the pilot
11:21never made it
11:21so easy to blame them
11:22but the court
11:23has come down
11:24very heavy
11:24on that case
11:25and said
11:25no,
11:26you have to get down
11:26to the problem
11:27and identify
11:28what's going on.
11:30But even then,
11:30January of 2026,
11:32a private aircraft
11:33carrying Ajit Bawar
11:34we all know that
11:34crashed near Baramati
11:36killing all five people
11:37on board.
11:38A preliminary report
11:39is expected soon.
11:40We still don't know
11:41the real cause.
11:42And just yesterday,
11:43an air ambulance
11:44flying from Jharkhand
11:45to Delhi crashed
11:47in the Chhatra district
11:48killing all seven on board
11:50including the medical staff
11:51and the patient.
11:52Now,
11:52each of these crashes
11:54unfolded
11:56under very different circumstances.
11:58Different aircraft,
11:59different operators,
12:01different weather conditions,
12:02different technical
12:03and human factors
12:04completely.
12:06And yet,
12:06here we are.
12:08That
12:08is a national safety concern
12:11which begs the question,
12:13is India's aviation regulator
12:15struggling
12:16to keep pace
12:18with the growth
12:19of India's aviation industry?
12:23To talk to us
12:24a little bit more about that,
12:25let me bring in an expert now.
12:26Joining us next
12:27is Sanjay Lazar.
12:28He's an aviation expert,
12:29trainer
12:30and the CEO
12:31of Aviala's Consultants.
12:33Sanjay,
12:34thank you so much
12:34for joining us
12:35and for your time.
12:36You just heard me
12:38bring out
12:39all those details
12:39that we have sought
12:41in that RTI reply.
12:42this has been spoken
12:43about in the past
12:44but for the first time
12:45we have very clear data
12:47telling us
12:48that exactly
12:49how much
12:49of shortage
12:50does the watchdog
12:52in fact have
12:53in itself.
12:55And while
12:55we've been talking
12:56about, you know,
12:58about 40% shortage
13:01of even the watchdog
13:02not having enough
13:03to keep checks,
13:05that,
13:06how concerning is it?
13:09Thank you for having me
13:11on your show.
13:12It's highly,
13:13highly alarming
13:14that we've first of all
13:15had, you know,
13:17three incidents
13:17in the last 24 hours
13:19but if you go back
13:20over the last five years
13:21we've had almost
13:2250 incidents
13:23of aircrafts
13:25and, you know,
13:26airlines, etc.
13:28Plus almost 320 people dead.
13:30Now this is an alarming,
13:32alarming incident.
13:33I'm incidentally
13:34at an aviation conference
13:35today and this is
13:36one of the subjects
13:37that, you know,
13:38people talk about,
13:38they're concerned
13:39about what's happening
13:41in India's aviation.
13:43It needs to be
13:44mentioned here,
13:46you've pointed out
13:47correctly,
13:47that almost 50%,
13:4940-odd percent
13:50of the DGCA
13:51is understaffed.
13:52But it also points
13:54to a greater
13:54malaise within
13:55our aviation system
13:56that there is not
13:58enough oversight
13:59of the DGCA,
14:00there is not enough
14:01oversight of the ministry,
14:03there is not enough
14:04churning
14:05within these networks,
14:07within these setups.
14:08And the government
14:09needs to look at it.
14:10Today,
14:11we are at,
14:11you know,
14:12800-odd aircraft
14:13in this country.
14:14We are going,
14:15moving to,
14:16you know,
14:16we've got 1,700
14:17aircraft on order.
14:18We will move to
14:193,000 aircraft
14:20in five to six years,
14:22300 airports.
14:23How do we manage this
14:24if we're not going
14:26to create
14:26a special cadre?
14:27And this is where
14:28I believe that the
14:29government has
14:30missed a trick here
14:32because,
14:32you know,
14:33we had a bill
14:34in parliament
14:35to make the DGCA
14:37into a CAA authority
14:39in 2014.
14:40It should have been
14:41created as an
14:42independent body.
14:43It should have had
14:44its own cadre of officers
14:46who would look after this
14:47and fill this up.
14:48I think the time has come
14:50and it's long overdue
14:51that we get a kind of
14:53restructuring
14:54in our aviation system.
14:56We get,
14:57you know,
14:57greater safety oversight.
14:58That should be the focus
15:00of the government
15:01more than,
15:02you know,
15:02just building airports
15:03blindly.
15:04It's senseless
15:05to just keep building
15:06airports and have accidents
15:08every alternate day.
15:10No,
15:10you're right about
15:11the airports building
15:12because just yesterday
15:13there was another
15:14RTI reply
15:15that we had filed
15:15and what we got to know
15:17was just in UP alone
15:18out of the seven airports
15:20that had been built up,
15:21six of them
15:21now stand defunct.
15:23After spending
15:23crores and crores of them,
15:25now there is not
15:26a single flight
15:26that is taken out.
15:27So it was bad decision
15:29making by the central
15:30government.
15:30This was under
15:31the Udan scheme,
15:32of course.
15:32It's got nothing to do
15:33with the UP government
15:34but I mean,
15:35which begged the question
15:36yesterday that
15:37who's clearing these things?
15:39But now what,
15:39today's RTI
15:41throws another leg,
15:43peels down the problem
15:45to the core
15:46but Sanjay,
15:47from what you're saying,
15:49you are saying
15:49that government
15:50does not have
15:51enough oversight.
15:52You mean
15:52the aviation industry
15:55players are taking
15:56people for a ride?
15:57There is not
15:58enough oversight?
15:59Am I to understand
16:00that correctly?
16:00Well, you know,
16:02when you talk of
16:02the legacy airlines,
16:04the Air India's,
16:05the Indigo's,
16:06the Acasa's,
16:07the Spice Jets,
16:08there is robot oversight there
16:10till you find
16:11stuff slipping
16:12through the cracks.
16:13But when you talk
16:14of the smaller
16:15NSOPs,
16:16the small charter companies,
16:17there's a lot
16:18that slips
16:19through the cracks
16:19and this is where
16:20the problem happens.
16:21If you're understaffed
16:23by 50%
16:24as a regulator,
16:25it means,
16:26number one,
16:27you've either got
16:27too much to do
16:28as a regulator
16:29and the government
16:30has not bothered
16:31to fill up
16:31the vacancies.
16:32So therefore,
16:33where do you concentrate?
16:34Do you concentrate
16:35on the big
16:36legacy airlines
16:37that are carrying
16:38lakhs of passengers
16:38a day?
16:39Or do you look
16:40at the smaller
16:41charter operators
16:42who would fly
16:43two flights a day
16:44or ten flights a day
16:45as opposed to
16:46the hundreds
16:46and thousands of flights?
16:47And this is where
16:48we are finding
16:49the issue
16:50because
16:52there's obviously
16:52some shortfall.
16:54Audits are not
16:54being completed in time.
16:56Investigation reports
16:57are pending
16:57for three years.
16:58we've just seen
16:59VSR
16:59and Ajit Dada Pawar's
17:01tragic death.
17:02The old report
17:03of the Mumbai incident
17:04has still not been submitted.
17:06So, I mean,
17:07where do we go from there?
17:08So this is something
17:09that the government,
17:10the cabinet
17:10will have to look at
17:11and the minister,
17:13you know,
17:13and I reach out to him.
17:15I think it's high time
17:16that we look at this
17:17very holistically
17:18or create is,
17:19you know,
17:19divide the DGCA,
17:20create a safety
17:21mechanism separately
17:23which overlooks
17:24and, you know,
17:25does complete oversight
17:26and responsibility.
17:27Sanjay,
17:28help me understand this.
17:28After the Air India tragedy,
17:30we were expecting
17:31things to change.
17:33I remember
17:34for almost a couple
17:35of months after that,
17:36we constantly had
17:37flight cancellations
17:38because the pilots
17:38were taking that call.
17:39They said,
17:40even if there's a little snag,
17:41I'm not going to go over it.
17:43I'm going to report it
17:44and I will refuse
17:44to fly this aircraft.
17:46We had that,
17:47right?
17:47Then following it,
17:48we had the Indigo
17:49entire tragedy
17:51where, again,
17:52the government
17:52had to step in,
17:53had to,
17:53I mean,
17:54they appeared
17:54to be penalizing Indigo
17:56for having not followed
17:57enough safety protocols.
17:58But that story
17:59also made it very clear
18:00that aviation players,
18:02the aircraft player,
18:04they are very clear
18:04they want to make profits.
18:06They are not going
18:07to prioritize
18:08passenger safety.
18:09That is the work
18:10of the government.
18:11Are you telling me now
18:13that despite
18:14both these
18:15massive tragedies
18:17that we've seen
18:17unfold in front of us,
18:19the government
18:19has still not woken up?
18:21Well, I do believe
18:23that the government
18:24needs to wake up more.
18:25If they have woken up,
18:26they've only,
18:27you know,
18:27at stage one,
18:28got out of bed.
18:29They need to get on their feet
18:30and get cracking.
18:33Start changing,
18:34you know,
18:34whole things
18:35and rework
18:36this entire scenario.
18:38Yeah.
18:40I think somebody
18:41can't hear me.
18:43No, no,
18:44we can hear you.
18:44Go ahead, Sanjay.
18:45Go ahead.
18:46So this is,
18:46this is the,
18:48the thing I believe
18:49that, you know,
18:50the cabinet needs
18:51to step in
18:52and crack the whip
18:52on the ministry.
18:53The ministry needs
18:54to crack the whip
18:55on the DGC.
18:55I think structural reform
18:57is what we are missing
18:58because I can still see
19:00a lot of flagrant violations
19:02occurring
19:03at the smaller levels
19:05and this is something
19:06that needs to be tackled
19:07post-haste.
19:09All right, Sanjay,
19:10we leave it there
19:11for the moment.
19:11Thank you so much.
19:12But Sanjay,
19:13they're making it
19:13very clear
19:14that it's not just
19:15time to wake up,
19:16it's time to run
19:17and solve
19:18for the problem here.
19:20We cannot have
19:22an expanding aviation
19:24sector in the country
19:25where the watchdog itself
19:26is not empowered enough.
19:28We cannot expect
19:29the watchdog
19:30to ensure all checks
19:31are taking place
19:32if they are only
19:33understaffed
19:34and who takes care
19:35of that?
19:35It has to rest
19:36with the aviation ministry.
19:37So let's hope
19:38they are listening in.
19:40Despite all the data
19:41that was not shared
19:42with us,
19:43one thing
19:44is absolutely clear
19:46that this is time
19:47for the aviation sector
19:49in India
19:49to wake up
19:51and smell the coffee.
19:55All right,
19:56with that,
19:56let's move on
19:57and bring you
19:57the other big story
19:58that we are tracking
19:59and this is a shocker
20:00coming in from
20:00Uttar Pradesh.
20:01The next story
20:02that we are shedding
20:02light on exposes
20:03how dark
20:05some minds
20:06can really become.
20:07In Lucknow,
20:08a 21-year-old youth
20:10shot his own
20:12father
20:12to death.
20:16A son killed
20:17his father
20:17and he did not
20:18just stop there.
20:20Akshay Pratap,
20:21he even dismembered
20:22his father's body,
20:24poured acid on it
20:26and hid it
20:27inside a drum
20:28at their home.
20:29Why?
20:30At the moment
20:31we are made
20:31to understand
20:32it's because
20:32the father
20:33was constantly
20:34pressurizing his son
20:35to prepare
20:36for need.
20:40That's the story
20:41so far
20:41but the details
20:43really send
20:45shockwaves
20:45so we thought
20:46we will bring you
20:47a report
20:47to tell you
20:48what exactly
20:49happened
20:49in this case.
20:53Neat.
20:56A rifle.
21:00A father-son duo.
21:03A blue drum
21:05and one fateful day.
21:11On the 20th of February
21:13inside a house
21:14in Lucknow's
21:15Asiana locality,
21:16a heated argument
21:17broke out
21:18between 21-year-old
21:19Akshat Singh
21:19and his father
21:20liquor businessman
21:21Manvendra Singh.
21:23The trigger
21:23pressured to crack
21:25Neat.
21:26Police say
21:26the fallout
21:27was fatal.
21:30During the confrontation,
21:32Akshat allegedly
21:33fired his father's
21:34licensed rifle
21:35killing him
21:36on the spot.
21:37What followed
21:38has horrified
21:39the city.
21:40Investigators say
21:41the son dragged
21:41the body downstairs,
21:43allegedly planning
21:44to dump it
21:44into the Gomti river.
21:46When he failed,
21:47he allegedly
21:47bought a saw
21:48and dismembered
21:49the body.
21:50The head and torso
21:51were stuffed
21:51inside a blue
21:52plastic drum
21:53inside the house.
21:54The hands and legs
21:55were dumped
21:56elsewhere.
21:57The victim's
21:57minor daughter
21:58reportedly saw
21:59the aftermath
22:00but was allegedly
22:01threatened and
22:01confined for days.
22:04As you see,
22:05the crime scene
22:06has been logged
22:07by the UP police
22:09but the entire
22:10thing happened
22:11inside this
22:12particular room
22:14where the 21
22:16year old Akshat
22:18firstly killed
22:19his father
22:20by firing a bullet
22:21over his head
22:22then cut his
22:25body in two
22:27parts and then
22:28stored it in a
22:29blue drum.
22:50Acid was also
22:51recovered from
22:51the house.
22:52Family members
22:53claim it may have
22:54been used to
22:54destroy evidence.
22:58Neighbors say
22:58when Manwendra
22:59went missing
23:00a WhatsApp
23:01group was
23:01created.
23:02Akshat was
23:03part of it.
23:05In fact,
23:05he even kept
23:06sharing updates
23:06and even went
23:07to the police
23:08to file a
23:08missing complaint.
23:31suspicion grew
23:32when CCDV showed
23:33the father
23:34entering the house
23:35but never
23:35walking out of it.
24:00police interrogation
24:01cracked the case.
24:02body parts were
24:03recovered from the house
24:04in other locations.
24:08Akshat Singh is
24:09now under arrest
24:10charged with murder
24:10and destruction
24:11of evidence.
24:13From need
24:14pressure to
24:15patricide,
24:16it's a family
24:16torn apart
24:17in one fatal
24:18flash of rage.
24:19with Samaj
24:20Srivastava and
24:21Lucknow,
24:21Bureau Report,
24:22India Today.
24:34Cutting us
24:35across to some
24:35updates now.
24:36and this is
24:37on the death
24:38case of
24:40Yuvraj,
24:40the Noida
24:41engineer,
24:41the techie
24:42who lost
24:43his life
24:43after his car
24:44fell into
24:44an open pit,
24:45remember,
24:46that was
24:46unmarked
24:47and filled
24:48with water.
24:49A PIL
24:49has now been
24:50filed in the
24:51Alabad High
24:51Court which
24:52has sought
24:52responses from
24:54the Noida
24:54Authority,
24:55the DM,
24:56the Noida
24:57Police,
24:58SDRF and
24:59also the
25:00MDRF.
25:00The court
25:01has sought
25:01responses from
25:02all six
25:03departments.
25:05The case
25:05will be next
25:06heard on
25:07the 17th
25:08of March.
25:09An SIT
25:09investigation
25:10has also
25:11been conducted
25:11into the
25:12manner.
25:12Remember,
25:12that was
25:13ordered by
25:13the UP
25:14government,
25:14but now
25:15a PIL
25:16that has
25:16been filed
25:17in the
25:17Alabad High
25:18Court will
25:18be looking
25:19into the
25:20matter.
25:22Nalini is
25:23with us
25:23for more
25:23details on
25:24this.
25:25Nalini,
25:25could you
25:25share with
25:26us what
25:26exactly is
25:27it that
25:27the SIT
25:28had said
25:29in its
25:29investigation?
25:30Clearly,
25:31that's not
25:33been sitting
25:34well with
25:35those
25:35aggrieved and
25:36that's why
25:36these even
25:37approached the
25:38High Court.
25:40Sonal,
25:41absolutely,
25:41and it's
25:42because the
25:43court was not
25:44satisfied with
25:45the kind of
25:45investigation that
25:46has been done
25:46is why a
25:48notice has been
25:48issued to all
25:49the authorities
25:50from NOIDA,
25:51including the
25:51NOIDA police,
25:52to file their
25:53responses and to
25:54officially bring
25:55on record not
25:56only what were
25:57the events that
25:58led to the
25:58death of
25:59Yuvraj Mehta
25:59on that
26:00fateful day,
26:01but also what
26:02kind of steps
26:03have been taken
26:03by the
26:04authorities after
26:05this incident
26:06had occurred
26:06because even
26:07at that time,
26:08Sonal,
26:08if you remember,
26:08India Today
26:09repeatedly reported
26:10about how this
26:11was not an
26:12isolated case.
26:13That was a
26:13place that a
26:14lot of accidents
26:15were happening
26:16in, which is
26:17why in the
26:17interest of which
26:18this PIL has
26:19been filed in
26:20the Allahabad High
26:20Court under
26:21which jurisdiction
26:22NOIDA falls
26:23and that is why
26:24all the
26:25authorities,
26:25including the
26:26SDRF and
26:27the NDRF,
26:28have been asked
26:29to file their
26:29responses so that
26:31the court can get
26:31a clear picture
26:32of not only
26:33what happened
26:33that day when
26:34Yuvraj lost
26:34his life because
26:35there were several
26:36hours where there
26:37were several
26:37authorities who
26:38were present on
26:39the spot but
26:39despite that no
26:40action had been
26:41taken.
26:41But also the
26:42fact as to what
26:43steps have been
26:44taken even after
26:45the incident,
26:46whether any safety
26:47or precautionary
26:47measures have been
26:48put into place to
26:49see that it
26:50doesn't happen
26:50again.
26:51Now of course
26:51the detailed
26:52hearing will be
26:52on the 17th of
26:53March which is
26:54when we are going
26:54to hear more from
26:56the Allahabad High
26:56Court, what they
26:57have to say.
26:58But in the
26:58meantime, all the
26:59six authorities
27:00including the
27:00DM, the SDRF,
27:02the NDRF as
27:03well as the
27:03NOIDA police will
27:04all have to
27:04officially file their
27:05responses before
27:06the Allahabad High
27:07Court in response
27:08to this PIL.
27:09Nalini, very
27:10quickly, who
27:11filed this PIL?
27:13So now we are
27:13still not sure on
27:14the details but we
27:15are given to
27:15understand it was
27:16a public spirited
27:17citizen who was
27:18from NOIDA who
27:19was perturbed by
27:20the kind of
27:21incidents that were
27:22taking place in
27:23this particular
27:26place which is
27:27why this PIL
27:27was filed to
27:28ensure that the
27:29authorities can
27:30take responsibility
27:31for the incidents
27:32that are happening.
27:33Alright, so
27:34public interest
27:35litigation there
27:35that has been
27:36filed in the
27:37Allahabad High
27:37Court and the
27:38case escalating
27:39there because you
27:40and I all know
27:41that this case
27:42will not be the
27:43last.
27:43There have been
27:43so many others
27:44which have been
27:45reported.
27:45We have reported
27:46on so many open
27:47death traps that
27:48are there all over
27:49not just in NOIDA
27:50and Great NOIDA
27:51but several areas
27:52of Delhi as well.
27:53So let's see what
27:53happens when that
27:54case comes up in
27:55court.
27:55Thanks Nalini for
27:56joining us for
27:57the very latest.
28:01All right, the
28:02other big story
28:02we are tracking
28:03here.
28:03India will soon
28:04roll out a
28:05nationwide human
28:06papillomavirus or
28:08HPV vaccination
28:10program aimed at
28:11reducing the
28:12country's heavy
28:13cervical cancer
28:14burden.
28:15Now the focus is
28:16clear, that is to
28:17protect adolescent
28:18girls before
28:19exposure to the
28:20virus that causes
28:21the disease.
28:22This is significant
28:22because India
28:23accounts for nearly
28:24one third of all
28:26cervical cancer
28:27cases globally.
28:28cervical cancer
28:29remember is one
28:30of the most
28:30common cancers
28:32affecting women
28:33in the country
28:34and it is also
28:35one of the most
28:36preventable ones
28:37as well.
28:39Remember persistent
28:40infection with
28:41high risk strains
28:42of HPV is the
28:43primary cause of
28:44this cancer and
28:45vaccination before
28:46exposure dramatically
28:47reduces that risk
28:48as well.
28:49Health experts have
28:50long argued that
28:52prevention through
28:52early immunization
28:53along with screening
28:55is the most
28:55effective way to
28:56bring down these
28:57cases and with
28:58this nationwide
28:58rollout, India is
29:00attempting to
29:00shift from late
29:01detection and
29:02treatment to early
29:03prevention as well.
29:04Now if implemented
29:06effectively and widely
29:07adopted, the program
29:08could actually mark a
29:10decisive step in
29:11reducing one of the
29:12country's most
29:13preventable cancer
29:14deaths.
29:17My colleague Sneha
29:18joins us for more
29:20details on this story.
29:21Sneha, nobody can argue
29:23that this is a move in
29:24the right direction but
29:25there was confusion
29:26earlier on whether or
29:27not this will be part
29:28of the government
29:28immunization program
29:30that will be rolled
29:31out.
29:31Any clarity on that?
29:33Yes, it's a part of
29:34the special immunization
29:35drive actually.
29:36For the time being,
29:38one crore doses are
29:39here.
29:39Not really a part of
29:40the national immunization
29:42program but a special
29:43drive so to speak.
29:44Sonal, if that answers
29:45your question.
29:46But a crore dose is
29:47already and the government
29:48is ready to roll it out
29:49is what I'm learning
29:50from my sources within
29:51the health ministry.
29:52Also the fact that
29:532.4 crore doses would
29:55be acquired via Gavi
29:56and that it's going to
29:57be given to girls at
29:59the age of 14.
30:00A buffer of 3 months
30:02is what I'm being told
30:03not more than 14 to
30:0514 to 14 and a half
30:07months or so but not
30:08more than that because
30:09that's the time when
30:10puberty is hit and
30:12that's the most
30:13appropriate time for
30:14young girls to get
30:14that vaccine.
30:15We know that cervical
30:16cancer and extreme forms
30:18of HPV infection is what
30:20causes cervical cancer.
30:22Other than that the
30:23infection remains
30:24dormant in all the
30:26bodies of most women
30:28who are already sexual
30:30in that sense.
30:32So this is something
30:32that the government is
30:33looking at because it
30:34prevents cervical cancer.
30:36The efficacy is
30:36astounding at 93 to
30:38100 percent.
30:39So that's really good.
30:41Also this particular
30:41vaccine that is being
30:43given out causes around
30:444 to 5 thousand rupees
30:45in the market.
30:46A different variety
30:47causes more about 10
30:48thousand.
30:48But right now free
30:50of course single
30:51dose good enough says
30:52the World Health
30:52Organization.
30:53One dose is good of
30:54course more than one
30:56would be better but
30:57one dose is good enough
30:58for that initial
30:59protection is what the
31:00WHO also said and
31:01that's what the
31:02government is going by.
31:03It's going to be rolled
31:04out and it's going to be
31:05a pan India drive is
31:07what I'm learning at
31:08this point in time.
31:09Right.
31:09So whenever we talk
31:10about mass immunization
31:12for a challenging
31:13terrain and country like
31:14India distribution has
31:16always been an issue.
31:18We have spoken about
31:19this in the past as
31:20well.
31:20Any plans on how
31:21government plans to
31:22take this to the
31:23remotest corners of
31:24the country?
31:25So coal storage was a
31:26question that we all
31:27asked in that sense
31:28because that has been
31:29a problem area but
31:30that is being ensured
31:31because the supply is
31:32through Gavi is what
31:33we're hearing.
31:33So that has been
31:34thought of.
31:35Of course we will
31:36know the finer details
31:37as soon as this
31:38program this rollout
31:39really begins but it
31:40is going to reach the
31:41remotest parts of the
31:42country.
31:43you know generating
31:44awareness around this
31:45disease also because
31:47you know it's been
31:47given to girls at the
31:49age of 14.
31:50There could be some
31:51apprehension we've seen
31:52that in the past as
31:53well but by and large
31:54the government says
31:55they're ready to handle
31:56those challenges like
31:57they've done in the
31:58past as well.
31:58I mean it's not the
31:59end at the end of the
32:00day we have a robust
32:02immunization program and
32:03the government is you
32:04know banking on its
32:05experience from the
32:06past to cash in upon
32:07that as far as faith on
32:09a medicine or a vaccine
32:10is concerned.
32:11Those are going to be
32:12challenges as far as
32:13reaching the remote
32:14areas of the country
32:14is concerned in days
32:16and weeks to come we'll
32:17know more and we'll
32:18get we'll be getting
32:19finer details of the
32:20same in days to come
32:22but what I do know at
32:24this point in time is
32:24that the rollout is
32:25expected a crore doors
32:27is already in so a
32:28crore girls would be
32:29benefiting almost
32:31immediately in the next
32:32few weeks and months
32:33or so as this program
32:35gets activated and then
32:36more this is of course
32:38an arrangement which has
32:39been worked out now
32:40India is working on its
32:41own vaccine also
32:43against cervical cancer
32:44all of that is in the
32:45pipeline but like I
32:46said at this point in
32:48time the good news is
32:49that it's preventable
32:50it was promised in the
32:51budget in the year
32:522024 Nirmalasi
32:54Taraman the finance
32:55minister had said that
32:56that the government
32:57would encourage vaccine
32:58against cervical cancer
33:00and now in a way
33:01they've really delivered
33:02on that.
33:04All right we'll leave
33:04it there for the moment
33:05for any of you who have
33:06more questions on
33:07cervical cancer we've
33:08got detailed reports
33:09going on on
33:10indiatoday.com so
33:11please go there and
33:12check out if you are
33:13eligible if you should be
33:14taking and if you have
33:15any questions you can
33:16leave them in the
33:16comments there as well
33:24And a news just coming in
33:25Prime Minister is all set to
33:27embark a two-day visit to
33:28Israel starting tomorrow
33:30Prime Minister Modi's first
33:31visit to Israel after 2017
33:32remember Modi and
33:34Netanyahu will be holding
33:36the bilateral talks and
33:37discuss further opportunities
33:39in various areas of
33:40cooperation we are told
33:41including science,
33:42technology, innovation,
33:44defence and security.
33:46it is also believed that
33:47India may push for
33:48transfer of technology of
33:49Israel's most advanced
33:51drones, its missiles, its
33:53laser defence system as
33:55well during this visit.
33:56To tell us a little more
33:58about that I'm joined by
33:59my colleague Pranay Upadhyay.
34:01Pranay take us through
34:02what are the possible key
34:05discussion points emerging
34:07from this meeting.
34:09Sunil as you mentioned
34:10that Prime Minister Narendh
34:11Modi is scheduled to visit
34:12Israel for his second
34:13state visit to Israel and
34:15he will be the second
34:16Indian Prime Minister to
34:17visit Israel.
34:18He would be in Jerusalem
34:19and he would be spending
34:21around 28 hours in Israel
34:23and there he would be
34:25taking forward the
34:26relationship between India
34:27and Israel to another level
34:29because in 2017 when India
34:31and Israel decided to take
34:34forward their strategic
34:34partnership after almost 10
34:36years or 9 years this
34:38relationship has matured to
34:39a level where both the
34:40leadership level discussion
34:41would take it to another
34:43level where the defence and
34:44security collaboration will
34:45take concrete steps in terms
34:47of the technology transfer.
34:48India is looking at the
34:50counter-dome technology.
34:51India is looking at quantum
34:52computing, cyber security,
34:54start-up and innovation are
34:56the areas where India and
34:57Israel can collaborate a lot.
34:59Besides that agriculture has
35:00also been an important area
35:02of India-Israel collaboration
35:03and besides that you know
35:06the migration and mobility of
35:07Indian professionals, Indian
35:09workers and investment of
35:10Indian companies in Israel.
35:12these are the some important
35:13areas which will be on the
35:16agenda for the dialogue
35:17between Prime Minister Modi
35:19and Prime Minister Netanyahu.
35:20Besides that you know the
35:22IMAC, the India Middle East
35:24Economic Corridor, how to
35:26take forward that project
35:28which was announced on the
35:29sidelines of you know G20
35:31summit in 2023 when India
35:33hosted the G20 summits.
35:34So these are the key areas of
35:37bilateral, regional and the
35:39international collaboration and
35:40cooperation between India and
35:42Israel will be on the table of
35:43agenda for Prime Minister Modi
35:45and Prime Minister Netanyahu.
35:47All right, thanks so much
35:48Pranay for taking and bringing
35:50us up to speed with all those
35:52details.
35:53We'll keep a tap, very close one
35:55on how that meeting actually goes.
36:04All right, let's cut across to some
36:06pictures that are just coming in and
36:07this is of a clash that seems to be
36:09taking place here in the national
36:11capital amid the politics for those
36:14shirt-off protests taken off by
36:17Youth Congress and the subsequent
36:19arrests that took place of all those
36:21Youth Congress members including their
36:22chief this morning.
36:23There is now a mega stir that seems to
36:26be unfolding here in the national
36:29capital.
36:30Delhi police has now called Udaybhan the
36:33chief mastermind of the shirtless
36:36protest at the AI summit.
36:39You see there Udaybhanu who has been
36:43arrested earlier in the morning for this
36:47protest.
36:48What followed was also a very babbar
36:51shade response that came from Rahul
36:53Gandhi.
36:54Rahul Gandhi addressing a rally made it
36:56very clear that he was proud of all the
36:58people who actually did that.
36:59The Prime Minister on the other hand had
37:01taken note of this entire protest in
37:04fact said that it was shameful for the
37:06Congress party to have done that.
37:09Let me see if I have my...
37:11All right, my colleague Rahul Gautam is at
37:14the site of that protest.
37:15Rahul, where exactly is this happening?
37:18How many people do you see there?
37:27Can you hear me?
37:30All right, let's try and connect with
37:32Rahul.
37:32There is understandably a lot of chaos
37:34where you see those visuals coming to us
37:36from.
37:37This is the Congress headquarters now.
37:38We are told where this entire protest is
37:40taking place.
37:41I see people.
37:42I see Congress workers and supporters on
37:45top of barricades there holding their
37:48Youth Congress flags.
37:50You can also see the police there and also
37:52some paramilitary on top of those
37:55barricades who are trying to obstruct.
37:57We see some sloganeering there happening
37:59as well.
38:04All right, we'll cut back to that as we can
38:07get more details.
38:08But for now, let's shift our focus to another
38:11story.
38:12And this one is for all pet owners or who live
38:15around pets.
38:16Not an alarmist one, but one that is specifically
38:19of concern.
38:21Now, most of us have a version of the scene
38:23living in our own lives.
38:25You are at home.
38:25There is a small cut that appears on your leg.
38:28Your dog very nicely come pads over and gives you
38:31an affectionate lick.
38:32You think nothing really of it.
38:35You thank the dog really for being so concerned and
38:38affectionate towards you.
38:39But for 56-year-old Manjeet Sangha in Birmingham,
38:44that ordinary moment turned into a medical emergency
38:48that would change her life forever.
38:52Sangha fell critically ill after her dog leaked a small
38:56wound on her leg.
38:57What followed was not gradual discomfort, but a rapid
39:02and terrifying collapse.
39:05Within days, she was unable to speak.
39:08She was rushed to the hospital.
39:10Doctors diagnosed her with sepsis, a life-threatening
39:14condition in which the body's response to infection
39:16spirals out of control.
39:19Sepsis, remember, is not just an infection.
39:21It is a body attacking itself in response to infection.
39:25And also inflammation spreads, blood pressure can drop,
39:28organs begin to fail.
39:30In Sangha's case, the infection was so aggressive
39:33that doctors had to ampute both her hands and both legs
39:38below the knees to save her life.
39:41She also suffered six cardiac arrests during her battle
39:45in hospital.
39:46She survived, of course, but at an unimaginable cost.
39:51But out of this story, I was wondering to myself,
39:54how does something as simple as a dog's lick,
39:56that to a pet dog who's fully vaccinated,
39:59lead to something like this?
40:01The report actually examines the dog's saliva
40:05and talks about the different bacteria which is there.
40:08Now, most of the time, these bacteria are harmless to humans.
40:11But when they enter the bloodstream through any broken skin,
40:17even a tiny cut, they can cause infection.
40:21In rare cases, that infection can escalate into sepsis.
40:26And I'm saying this word again,
40:27in very, very rare cases, this happens.
40:32This is not a reason to fear pets.
40:35Millions of people live safely with dogs.
40:37But it is a reason to understand
40:41how quickly infections can escalate
40:43and how seriously we must treat even minor wounds.
40:49The bigger story here is not about the dog.
40:52It's about awareness.
40:54Sepsis often, you know, brings with it symptoms
40:57that look ordinary.
40:58Fever, chills, rapid heartbeat, confusion, weakness.
41:03These signs can be mistaken for just a flu or exhaustion.
41:06But if you've had a minor cut
41:09or anything untoward that has happened,
41:10you've had a fall or anything of that matter
41:13and these signs come,
41:14you have to go and seek critical care,
41:19seek emergency care from your doctor.
41:21Because remember, sepsis can progress in hours.
41:25Early treatment is critical, absolutely important.
41:29What we can learn from Sangha's experience is this.
41:32First, never ignore a wound, clean it properly, cover it.
41:37Watch for redness, swelling, fever or any sudden weakness
41:41that comes around that wound.
41:44Second, seek medical help early if something feels wrong.
41:49Sepsis, remember, is treatable,
41:50especially when caught in time, if only caught in time.
41:54And finally, understand that health can turn on small details.
41:58It can start with a tiny cut, a delayed doctor visit,
42:02a symptom dismissed as minor.
42:05And while Sangha's story is, you know, quite dramatic,
42:10the lesson is pretty practical.
42:12Infections do not always announce themselves loudly.
42:16Sometimes they begin in the most ordinary moments of everyday life.
42:20So awareness, not fear, is the takeaway from the story.
42:24Because sometimes the difference between recovery and catastrophe
42:28is simply how quickly we recognize these simple signs.
42:38All right.
42:39With that, let's take you to what is happening in United States.
42:42It's called a monster snowstorm, known as the winter storm there,
42:48has brought United States northeast to a standstill,
42:52dumping up to three feet of snow in certain states.
42:56Several hundreds of flights have been cancelled,
43:00but this is the latest report.
43:08The city has been buried under white snow,
43:11but New Yorkers are seen enjoying that snow in certain areas as well.
43:15Central Park turned playground for children, adults and even dogs.
43:19Several people were seen building a snowman there.
43:23But heavy snowstorm has also brought iconic Times Square.
43:31Times Square to a standstill.
43:32A thick layer of snow there had covered the roads,
43:34making movement also difficult.
43:37A man was seen skiing on the road.
43:39Efforts are underway to clear the snow from the streets.
43:42It's easy to say that those visuals can be seen all across New York as well.
43:47Similar scenes were witnessed in Boston,
43:49where cars, houses and trees have been covered in snow.
43:53The massive blizzard there has led to the cancellation of several flights.
43:57Residents have been advised to stay indoors.
44:06But if you're wondering your flight is one of them,
44:08or how soon this is supposed to subside,
44:12and what exactly is the weather department saying,
44:14here's a detailed package.
44:35When two of South India's biggest stars drop hints for years,
44:40dodge questions with shy smiles,
44:42and let their chemistry do all the talking,
44:44you know it's only a matter of time before the big reveal.
44:54And now the wait seems to be over.
44:59Rashmika Mandana and Vijay Devrikonda
45:01have made their relationship official on social media
45:04after dating for nearly eight years.
45:15While sharing their future plans,
45:17they call their wedding,
45:18Wedding of Virosh.
45:21The name Virosh was created by their fans,
45:24for Vijay and Rashmika.
45:26The couple shared a personal note,
45:28explaining that the name wasn't inspired by planners
45:30or family traditions,
45:32but by their fans,
45:33who years ago lovingly combined their names
45:35into Virosh.
45:37What began as a fan coined identity,
45:39gradually became a symbol of affection,
45:42and now defines this landmark moment in their lives.
45:51Meanwhile, the couple is reportedly all set to get married
45:54on February 26th in Udaipur.
45:58The much anticipated wedding festivities
46:01for actors Rashmika Mandana and Vijay Devrikonda
46:04have officially begun,
46:06with the couple sharing exclusive glimpses
46:08of their pre-wedding celebrations on social media.
46:11The events, described as intimate and modern,
46:14feature a blend of relaxed afternoon fun
46:17and elegant evening experiences.
46:19The bride and the groom shared a couple of photos
46:22from the celebrations on their respective Instagram pages.
46:35Vijay Devrikonda and Rashmika Mandana
46:37first worked together on the 2018 Telago hit,
46:40Geeta Govindam.
46:41Their on-screen chemistry quickly translated
46:44into fan-favorite status
46:46and the later reunited for Dear Comrade in 2019.
46:50If you're a boy who's in the past-field soon,
46:52then he's dead.
46:53What about yourself?
46:57What about yourself?
46:58Rolls, sir.
47:00Do you play around?
47:02Yes, state player.
47:03State player?
47:04State player.
47:05What happened to each other?
47:12Lily,
47:22Over the years, dating rumours have persisted, with fans dissecting holiday photos and public
47:28appearances for clues.
47:29Though both have maintained they are good friends, speculation has never quite faded.
47:43On the work front, Vijay is gearing up for several upcoming projects, including Rana Bali and other high-profile ventures
47:50in Telugu cinema.
48:07On the other hand, Rashmaka has been navigating in both Telugu and Hindi cinema,
48:11her last Hindi theatrical release was Thama, opposite Ayishman Khurana.
48:19With Pranjali Sethi, Entertainment Bureau, India Today.
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