Air India Plane Crash: How Are Bodies Identified Using DNA Matching, FSL Director Explains

HP Sanghvi, Director of Forensic Science Laboratory, explains how bodies are identified by DNA matching. On June 12, Air India Flight AI 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London, had crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad with 169 Indian nationals, 53 British, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian on board. Among them were two pilots and 10 cabin crew members. As of June 15, 32 victims have been identified, and the bodies of 14 have been returned to their families. Body of Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was also identified by DNA matching on June 15.#fsl #dna #dnamatching #vijayrupani #airindiaai171 #ahmedabadplanecrash #dnamatch #victimidentification #gujarattragedy #airindiacrash #ahmedabadairport #flightai171 #aviationdisaster #forensicidentification #gujaratgovernment #planecrashvictims #gujarat #ahmedabad #explained #toi #toibharat
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News18

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'Wake-Up Call': Rs 16 Crore Smuggling Network Busted At Mumbai Airport, 2 Staffers Arrested

Last Updated: On June 22, officers of the Air Intelligence Unit arrested two airport staffers who were found smuggling 24KT gold dust — coated in wax and stuffed inside socks in uniform pockets. In back-to-back busts within just 48 hours, Mumbai Customs Zone III has exposed a dark underbelly of smuggling operations at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport — uncovering nearly Rs 16 crore worth of illegal drugs and gold. On June 21, acting on specific intelligence, two Indian nationals arriving from Bangkok were intercepted. A thorough baggage check revealed 11.881 kg of high-grade hydroponic marijuana, cleverly vacuum-sealed and hidden inside pillow covers in their trolley bags. With an illicit value of Rs 11.88 crore, the bust is among the city's biggest drug seizures this year. Both passengers were arrested under the NDPS Act, and investigations are underway to trace the international network they were working for. Just a day later, on June 22, officers of the Air Intelligence Unit arrested two airport staffers who were found smuggling 24KT gold dust — coated in wax and stuffed inside socks concealed in their uniform pockets. The seizure, weighing 4.44 kilograms and valued at Rs 4.24 crore, exposed a worrying trend of insider involvement in organised gold smuggling. The two individuals were booked under the Customs Act, 1962. Authorities are now widening their probe into possible collusion between internal staff and gold smuggling syndicates operating across international routes. These twin operations have shaken the airport's security grid and reinforced the urgency of tightening internal surveillance mechanisms. Customs officials said these seizures underscore a larger challenge — smugglers are not only getting creative with concealment but also infiltrating from within. 'This is a wake-up call. Whether it's narcotics in tourist luggage or gold in staff uniforms, our teams are alert and acting without hesitation," a senior Customs official told News18. Further investigations are in progress to map out the criminal networks behind both high-stakes operations. First Published:

News18

44 minutes ago

• News18

Terror Trail: Pahalgam Attack Linked To Infiltration From Poonch, Group Active Since 2023

Last Updated: The group, active for over a year in the Jammu region, is suspected to be involved in at least three major attacks on Indian security forces Security agencies have pieced together the terror trail behind the recent Pahalgam attack, revealing that the militant group infiltrated through Dehra Ki Gali (DKG) in Poonch and operated across Jammu and Kashmir since late 2022 or early 2023. The group, active for over a year in the Jammu region, is suspected to be involved in at least three major attacks on Indian security forces before it moved operations into Kashmir in the second half of 2024. The group's first established act of violence came on December 21, 2023, in an ambush at Dera Ki Gali in the Bufliaz area of Surankote, Poonch, where four Indian Army soldiers were killed in action. Intelligence inputs later confirmed their involvement in another attack on May 2024, when they ambushed an Indian Air Force convoy at Bakrabal Mohalla near Sanai, also in Surankote. After months of operating in Poonch's dense forests and mountainous terrain, the group is believed to have shifted base to Kashmir via the same DKG-Bufliaz route, around August–September 2024. Movement Into Kashmir: Splitting For Coordinated Strikes Upon reaching Budgam, the group split into two smaller modules, one moving towards Gulmarg, and the other to Sonmarg. On October 20, Junaid, a local militant, along with a Pakistani associate, fired on non-local workers near Sonmarg. Days later, on October 26, another team launched an attack on Army trucks in Gulmarg. In a major counter-insurgency operation, Junaid was trapped near Harwan in Srinagar alongside a Pakistani terrorist. Only Junaid was neutralised during the operation, which then extended over 15 days in search of the remaining operatives. A breakthrough came when images retrieved from Junaid's phone confirmed the group's involvement in earlier attacks in Poonch, linking their violent trajectory across regions. Convergence And The Pahalgam Attack Investigations now suggest that the two sub-groups regrouped before executing the Pahalgam attack, marking a dangerous consolidation of resources and planning. Security agencies involved in the post-attack response intercepted communication signals from three locations, Hapatnar, Tral, and DH Pora—suggesting the group's broader footprint and possible safe zones. Sources suggest the communication signals may have been a deliberate attempt to disrupt search efforts in the forested region. Terrain Tactics: Navigating Without Roads A key revelation from the probe is the group's exclusive use of mountain routes, bypassing road surveillance entirely. The interconnected mountain ranges provided ideal cover for movement and regrouping, complicating tracking efforts for security forces. With the pattern of attacks now becoming clearer, agencies continue to intensify counter-terror operations across the Kashmir Valley, focusing on isolating the remaining members of this highly mobile and lethal group.

NDTV

an hour ago

• NDTV

Afghan Man Arrested In Odisha For Living Illegally In India

New Delhi: An Afghan national, Mohammad Yousaf alias Yaha Khan, was arrested at Biju Patnaik International Airport, Bhubaneswar, for entering India on a forged Indian passport and living in Cuttack under a false identity since 2018. According to the First Information Report (FIR) registered under the Airport Police Station, the arrest was made after the immigration department grew suspicious of the documents presented by Yousaf. He had submitted an Indian passport issued in the name of "Yaha Khan, S/o Moti Khan, Cuttack." However, system checks revealed a Look-Out Circular issued by Kolkata Airport and confirmed his real identity as Mohammad Yousaf, an Afghan citizen holding an original Afghan passport. Investigations have revealed that Yousaf had illegally entered India in 2018 and settled in the Petinmati area under Puri Ghat police limits in Cuttack. Using forged details, he fraudulently obtained various Indian identity documents, including Aadhaar, PAN card, voter ID, driving license, and even a gas connection. These documents allowed him to live and operate under a fake Indian identity, enabling travel within India and potentially abroad. Following his arrest, joint searches by the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Police Commissionerate and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) led to the seizure of numerous forged identity documents, cash, foreign currency, gold earrings, mobile phones, and other valuables. Yousaf admitted to fabricating and using the fake documents to conduct business and live in Odisha. Authorities believe the forged passport may have facilitated multiple international travels, and the NIA is investigating possible lapses that allowed him to acquire Indian documents. There are also concerns about potential collusion involving local agents or officials in the forgery racket. In a related inquiry, three other Afghan nationals residing in Cuttack, Alam Khan, Sher Khan, and Amir Khan, have come under police scrutiny for possessing forged Indian documents and illegally residing in India. The investigation into this fake identity network is ongoing, with reports being shared with central intelligence and passport authorities. Earlier on Sunday, Assam Police arrested four Afghan nationals from Guwahati's Hatigaon area for residing in the country without valid documentation. Acting on a tip-off, police raided a rented house near Little Flower School and apprehended the four individuals, identified as Aman Khan, Rizwan Khan, Yusuf Zahid, and Asif Rana. According to a senior police official, the arrested individuals had been living in Assam since 2015 without any legal authorisation