Ahmedabad plane crash: 135 victims identified, 101 bodies handed over to kin
Ahmedabad (PTI): Five days after an Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad claimed 270 lives, 135 victims have so far been identified through DNA matching and 101 bodies handed over to their families, officials said on Tuesday.
Authorities are carrying out DNA tests to establish the identity of the victims as many bodies were charred beyond recognition or damaged.
"Till Tuesday morning, 135 DNA samples have been matched, and 101 bodies have already been handed over to the respective families. Of these 101 deceased, five were not on board the flight," Ahmedabad Civil Hospital's medical superintendent Dr Rakesh Joshi told reporters.
The 101 deceased whose mortal remains have been handed over to their relatives belonged to different parts of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Bihar, Rajasthan and Diu, he added.
Joshi earlier expressed hope that the DNA profiling all the victims will be completed by either Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner with 242 persons on board crashed into a medical college complex in Ahmedabad moments after taking off from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1.39 pm on June 12.
While 241 persons on board the London-bound aircraft died, one passenger miraculously survived. The crash also killed 29 persons on the ground, including five MBBS students.
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10 blackbucks die due to 'bacterial infection' in Zoological Park in J'khand's Jamshedpur
Ranchi (PTI): At least 10 blackbucks have died at a zoo in Jharkhand's Jamshedpur due to a "bacterial infection," an official said on Sunday.
The deaths were reported between December 1 and December 6 at Tata Steel Zoological Park (TSZP).
The last death was reported on Saturday.
"Ten blackbucks have died till date in the park. The carcass was sent to Ranchi Veterinary College for examination and to ascertain the exact cause of the death. It seems to be a bacterial infection," TSZP deputy director Dr Naim Akhtar told PTI.
Assistant professor at veterinary pathology of Ranchi Veterinary College (RVC) Dr Pragya Lakra said the postmortem has been carried out.
"It is suspected to be H.S.(Haemorrhagic Septicaemia), which is a bacterial disease caused by Pasteurella species of bacteria. The disease is also known as Pasteurellosis," Lakra told PTI.
She said the further investigation into it would be carried out on Monday.
"After completing the further process, we can confirm the disease," she added.
The TSZP, which houses around 370 animals, including avians, had 18 blackbucks.
With 10 deaths, only eight blackbucks remained in the zoo, the official said.
Akhtar said the first death was reported on December 1. Later, the sample was sent to Ranchi veterinary college to ascertain the cause of death.
"We helped send the sample to Ranchi Veterinary College at the request of the zoo authority. We have informed the Central Zoo Authority regarding the deaths," said Jamshedpur Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Saba Alam.
Dr MK Gupta, the chairman of Ranchi Veterinary College's Pathology Department, said Pasteurella is a bacterial disease which spreads in the body very fast and affects the lungs, causing sudden death.
High fever, swelling in the neck and diarrhoea are some common symptoms of the disease.
Akhtar said that they have taken extensive precautionary measures to check the spread of the suspected disease.
"Anti-bacterial treatment is underway, and the situation is under control now," he added.
Meanwhile, Bhagwan Birsa Biological Park, also known as Birsa zoo, in Ranchi's Ormanjhi area, has sounded an alert after the Jamshedpur incident.
"We have 69 blackbucks in the zoo. So, we have already taken precautions by spraying anti-viral and anti-bacterial medicines. Besides, bleaching is being sprayed in vulnerable places on a regular basis," Birsa zoo veterinarian OP Sahu told PTI.
Spread over 104 hectares in Ranchi's Ormanjhi, the zoo houses about 1,450 animals and birds of 83 different species.
