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www.desitalk.com – that’s all you need to know SOUTH ASIA 9 INDIA July 25, 2025 India’s Vice President Dhankhar Resigns Citing Health Reasons V ice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday, July 21, evening resigned from his post citing health reasons and medical advice. Dhankhar, who is also Chairman of Rajya Sabha, sent his resignation letter to President Droupadi Murmu. “To prioritise health care and abide by medical advice, I hereby resign as the Vice President of India, effective immediately, in accordance with Article 67(a) of the con- stitution,” the letter said. “I extend my deepest gratitude to Your Excellency – the Hon’ble President of India for her unwavering support and the soothing wonderful working relationship we maintained during my tenure,” it added. The Vice President also expressed his deep gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the the Council of Ministers. “Prime Minister’s cooperation and support have been invaluable, and I have learned much during my time in office,” he said. Dhankhar said that the warmth, trust, and affection he has received from all the Members of Parliament would ever be cherished at and embedded in his memory. “I am deeply thankful for the invaluable experiences and insights I have gained as Vice President in our great democracy. It has been a privilege and satisfaction to wit- ness and partake in India‘s remarkable economic prog- ress and unprecedented exponential development during this significant period. Serving in this transformative era of our nation’s history has been a true honor,” he said. “As I leave this esteemed office, I am filled with pride in Bharat’s global rise and phenomenal achievements and hold unwavering confidence in her brilliant future,” he added. The resignation came on the first day of the monsoon session of Parliament. -ANI PHOTO:ANI India’s Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar. Air India Says No Issues Found In Boeing 787, Boeing 737 Fuel Control Switches Students Protest In Bangladesh After Air Force Jet Crash Kills 31, Mostly Children A ir India said on Tuesday, July 22, it has completed precautionary inspections of the fuel control switch locking mechanism on all its Boeing 787 and 737 aircraft, with no issues detected. The probe into the Air India crash that killed 241 of the 242 people on board and 19 on the ground is focused on the fuel control switches of the Boeing 787 jetliner, with a final report from India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) expected within a year of the incident. The switches control fuel flow to aircraft engines, allowing pilots to start or shut them down on the ground, or manu- ally intervene during in-flight engine failures. Air India began voluntary inspections of the switches on July 12. India’s aviation regulator soon ordered all domestic carri- ers to conduct similar checks, prompting some foreign airlines and regulators to follow suit. A preliminary report from the AAIB earlier this month found the switches had almost simultaneously flipped from ‘run’ to ‘cutoff’ shortly after takeoff, causing the engines to lose power. The report cited a 2018 FAA advisory that urged operators of several Boeing models, including the 787, to inspect the locking mechanism on fuel cutoff switch- es to prevent unintentional movement. The FAA and Boeing have privately issued notifications that the fuel switch locks on Boeing planes are safe, Reuters had reported. Reuters reported last week, citing a source, that the cockpit recording on the Air India flight from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick suggested the captain cut fuel to the engines. The AAIB has said it is too early to draw any conclusions. Air India operates a fleet of Boeing 787 twin-aisle jets on its long-haul operations, while low-cost unit Air India Express oper- ates the Boeing 737 single-aisle jets.. - Reuters P olice used tear gas to disperse angry students in Bangladesh on Tuesday who demanded answers from the interim government after an air force fighter jet crashed into a Dhaka school and killed 31 people, at least 25 of them children. The children, many aged under 12, were about to return home from class on Monday when the Chinese- manufactured F-7 BGI Bangladesh Air Force jet ploughed into their school and burst into flames, trapping pupils in the fire and debris. The military said it had suffered mechanical failure. Students from the school and others from nearby col- leges protested as two government officials visited the crash site, demanding an accurate death toll and shout- ing, “Why did our brothers die?We demand answers!” Elsewhere in the capital, hundreds of protesting students, some of them waving sticks, broke through the main gate of the federal government secretariat, demand- ing the resignation of the education adviser, according to local TV footage. Police baton charged them, fired tear gas and used sound grenades to disperse the crowd, leaving dozens in- jured, witnesses said. Dhaka Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Talebur Rahman said they had to use tear gas to disperse the protesters. He said he did not have information on the number of injured. Rescue workers continued to scour the charred build- ings for debris on Tuesday as distressed residents of the area looked on. Some parents were inconsolable. Abul Hossain broke down as he spoke about his nine- year-old daughter, Nusrat Jahan Anika, killed in the crash. “I took her to school yesterday morning like every day. I had no idea it would be the last time I would be seeing her,” he said. She was buried on Monday night. Rubina Akter said her son Raiyan Toufiq had a miracu- lous escape after his shirt caught fire when he was on a staircase. “He sprinted to the ground floor and jumped on the grass to douse it,” she said. “He tore his shirt and vest inside, which saved him from severe burns.” The jet had taken off from a nearby air base on a rou- tine training mission, the military said. After experiencing mechanical failure the pilot tried to divert the aircraft away from populated areas, but it crashed into the cam- pus. The pilot was among those killed. On Tuesday, the military said in a statement that 31 people had died and 165 had been admitted to hospitals in the city. The health ministry said 68 remained in hospi- tal and the condition of 10 of them was critical. STUDENT DEMANDS The government announced a day of mourning, with flags at half-mast and special prayers at all places of wor- ship. Pope Leo said he was deeply saddened to learn of the loss of life in the crash and prayed that families and friends may be consoled in their grief, and for the healing and comfort of the injured, according to a Vatican state- ment. The protesting students called for those killed and injured to be named, the decommissioning of what they said were old and risky jets, and a change in air force training procedures. A statement from the press office of Muhammad Yunus, the country’s interim administrator, said that the government, the military, school and hospital authorities were working together to publish a list of victims. It also said the air force will be told not to operate training aircraft in populated areas. - Reuters By Ruma Paul and Sam Jahan