Latest news with #RajeshPatel
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
India's June palm oil imports jump 61% to hit 11-month high
India's palm oil imports soared to an 11-month high in June, driven by lower domestic inventories and a price discount to rivals soyoil and sunflower oil that encouraged refiners to ramp up purchases, according to five dealers. Higher palm oil imports by India, the world's biggest buyer of vegetable oils, will help bring down stocks in top producers Indonesia and Malaysia and support benchmark Malaysian palm oil futures. Palm oil imports in June surged 61% month-on-month to 953,000 metric tons, the highest since July 2024, according to estimates from dealers. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Simple Morning Habit for a Flatter Belly After 50! Lulutox Undo "Palm oil has been regaining lost market share since last month. It is now nearly $100 per ton cheaper than competing oils," said Sandeep Bajoria, CEO of Sunvin Group , a vegetable oil brokerage. India imported, on average, 475,699 tons of palm oil each month during the first seven months of the current marketing year ending October 2025, according to the Solvent Extractors' Association of India, which is set to publish its June import data by mid-July. Live Events In the last marketing year, India imported an average of more than 750,000 tons of palm oil each month. Soyoil imports in June fell 9% month-on-month to 363,000 tons, while sunflower oil imports rose 18% to 216,000 tons, dealers estimated. Higher imports of palm oil and sunflower oil lifted India's total edible oil imports in June by 30% from the month before to 1.53 million tons, the highest since November, according to dealers' estimates. Palm oil imports are expected to remain robust in the coming months as its prices are attractive amid a pickup in production in key producing countries, said Rajesh Patel, managing partner at GGN Research, an edible oil trader. India buys palm oil mainly from Indonesia and Malaysia, while it imports soyoil and sunflower oil from Argentina, Brazil, Russia and Ukraine. Nepal's edible oil imports were 75,000 tons in June, down from 155,000 tons in May, GGN Research estimated.
Hindustan Times
23-06-2025
- Hindustan Times
70 tola gold, ₹70,000 cash: Man hands over recoveries from Ahmedabad plane crash site to govt
Rajesh Patel, a businessman and one of the first responders to the tragic Air India AI171 plane crash in Ahmedabad on June 12, claimed that he found around 70 'tola'of gold and around ₹ 70,000 in cash from the debris while lending a hand in the rescue efforts. One tola is roughly 11 grams. The Air India AI171 flight crashed into a medical college hostel complex in Meghani Nagar area on June 12, killing a total of 270 persons.(AFP) Patel said that he handed over the discovered gold and cash to the government authorities. The deadly crash of the Air India Boeing 787-7 Dreamliner into the hostel complex of BJ Medical College claimed the lives of all but one passenger. Additionally, 29 persons, who were present on the ground in the Meghani Nagar area were also killed. Patel told news agency ANI that the crash took place around 300 metres away from his house, and as soon as they saw the plane turning into a ball of flames, they rushed to the site. "Nothing was visible when we reached the crash site. Our eyes were burning due to the fuel and fire pouring all around us, and there was no place to go inside due to the smoke... After the fire was extinguished, we approached the crash and saw that the bodies of people were lying everywhere," he said. ALSO READ | Air India plane wreckage being shifted to airport premises in Ahmedabad Patel explained that the dreadful scene made it clear that no one could have survived. Therefore, after the fire was doused, Patel, along with other first responders, helped collect the dead bodies using old sarees, dupattas, and wheat rags. "After all the bodies were recovered, we thought since we could not save anyone, we should at least take care of their belongings," said Patel. Passports, gold, Gita, and cash In those belongings, Patel said they found, British passports, Indian passports, burnt mobile phones, laptops, and iPads. "We found a passenger's mobile still on, whose screen was broken, and the phone was not working. We found a lot of jewellery. We found 70-80 tolas of gold. We gave that to the officer there. Our effort was that at least the last remains of the deceased could be given to their families," Patel told ANI. Additionally, they also found idols of Lord Krishna and a Bhagavad Gita. He said that all of this stuff was collected from the crash site and handed over to a government officer. ALSO READ | Bhagavad Gita found in near-mint condition from Air India plane crash debris | Video "I have not even taken a single photograph of that site... We also found ₹ 50,000 to 70,000 in cash. We gave all this to the government officer," Patel added. Since the bodies of the Air India crash victims were charred beyond recognition, authorities began carrying out DNA testing to match their identification. As of Sunday night, DNA samples of 251 victims had been identified, and mortal remains of 245 victims had been handed over to their respective families. ALSO READ | Missing filmmaker died in Ahmedabad crash despite not being in plane or hostel Ahmedabad Civil Hospital Superintendent Rakesh Joshi told reporters, "DNA samples of 251 dead bodies of the plane crash have been matched. So far, a total of 245 bodies have been handed over to the families, while six families, who are from the UK, will receive the bodies of their relatives in the near future." "The 245 dead include 176 Indian citizens, 7 Portuguese, 49 British citizens, one Canadian and 12 non-passengers," he added. Among the deceased was former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani. His funeral was held with full state honours in Rajkot on June 16.
The Hindu
18-06-2025
- The Hindu
Man collects 70 tolas of gold jewellery, cash from plane crash site; hands them over to police
Rajesh Patel, who was among the first responders following the Ahmedabad plane crash on June 12, returned to the scene soon after carrying bodies and many injured to ambulances. He began rummaging through the smouldering wreckage. Mr. Patel, 57, said he collected nearly 70 tolas of gold ornaments, which would be priceless for the victims' kin, ₹50,000 and a few U.S. dollars from the scene of the deadly aviation tragedy and handed them over to the police. As he heard a deafening sound and saw a giant ball of fire rising into the sky, Mr. Patel, who lives just 300 metres from the scene of the accident, hopped into an ambulance of a private hospital run by his relative in the city's Shahibaug area. 'Upon learning that an aircraft had crashed into a hostel complex of BJ Medical College, I rushed to the area with the hope of saving as many people as I could. However, we could not get close to the spot for the first 15 to 20 minutes. We started the rescue work after the fire was brought under control,' said Mr. Patel, who is in the construction business. Since Mr. Patel and the other volunteers did not have any stretchers, they used old sarees, bedsheets, and gunny sacks to carry bodies as well as injured persons to the ambulances, he said. After finishing the rescue work, Patel turned to salvaging luggage and other belongings of those on board the ill-fated Air India plane. 'From 10 to 15 handbags, which were burnt and lying scattered, we recovered 70 tolas of gold jewellery, 8 to 10 silver articles, a few passports, a copy of Bhagavad Gita, ₹50,000 cash and 20 dollars. We handed them over to a police official supervising the rescue operation,' said Mr. Patel. Mr. Patel, who earlier worked as a photographer, had volunteered at the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital after the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts. He lost two of his close friends in one of the explosions that took place inside the trauma centre of the hospital. According to inspector D.B. Basiya from the Meghaninagar police station, one of their teams has been tasked with preparing a detailed list of every valuable article as well as luggage recovered from the crash site. 'Once the list is compiled, we will coordinate with Air India and start the process to hand over the valuables and luggage to the kin of the passengers after verification. We don't have any specific number of articles or their value as of now,' said Mr. Basiya. Gujarat Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi had announced on X on June 16 that every item found from the aircraft's wreckage would be returned. He had also shared a video showing the kin of a woman, who died in the crash, receiving gold ornaments recovered from her body from a police official. 'Air India Passengers: Each and Every Found Item Will Be Returned. After the Air India plane crash, the Ahmedabad City Police went above and beyond to ensure the deceased's family received their loved one's belongings,' Mr. Sanghavi had said in his post. 'Gold ornament weighing 4-5 tolas, worth around ₹4.5 lakh, recovered from Veenaben Agheda's body was meticulously tracked down and returned to her family. The family praised the police for their honest work, expressing gratitude for their dedication to service,' the Minister had added. A Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner of Air India with 242 persons on board crashed into the B.J. 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.
Hindustan Times
18-06-2025
- Hindustan Times
Man collects 70 tolas of gold jewellery, cash from plane crash site; hands them over to police
Ahmedabad, Rajesh Patel, who was among the first responders following the Ahmedabad plane crash on June 12, returned to the scene soon after carrying bodies and many injured to ambulances. He began rummaging through the smouldering wreckage. Patel, 57, said he collected nearly 70 tolas of gold ornaments, which would be priceless for the victims' kin, ₹50,000 and a few US dollars from the scene of the deadly aviation tragedy and handed them over to the police. As he heard a deafening sound and saw a giant ball of fire rising into the sky, Patel, who lives just 300 metres from the scene of the accident, hopped into an ambulance of a private hospital run by his relative in the city's Shahibaug area. 'Upon learning that an aircraft had crashed into a hostel complex of BJ Medical College, I rushed to the area with the hope of saving as many people as I could. However, we could not get close to the spot for the first 15 to 20 minutes. We started the rescue work after the fire was brought under control,' said Patel, who is in the construction business. Since Patel and the other volunteers did not have any stretchers, they used old sarees, bedsheets, and gunny sacks to carry bodies as well as injured persons to the ambulances, he said. After finishing the rescue work, Patel turned to salvaging luggage and other belongings of those on board the ill-fated Air India plane. 'From 10 to 15 handbags, which were burnt and lying scattered, we recovered 70 tolas of gold jewellery, 8 to 10 silver articles, a few passports, a copy of Bhagavad Gita, ₹50,000 cash and 20 dollars. We handed them over to a police official supervising the rescue operation,' said Patel. Patel, who earlier worked as a photographer, had volunteered at the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital after the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts. He lost two of his close friends in one of the explosions that took place inside the trauma centre of the hospital. According to inspector DB Basiya from the Meghaninagar police station, one of their teams has been tasked with preparing a detailed list of every valuable article as well as luggage recovered from the crash site. 'Once the list is compiled, we will coordinate with Air India and start the process to hand over the valuables and luggage to the kin of the passengers after verification. We don't have any specific number of articles or their value as of now,' said Basiya. Gujarat Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi had announced on X on June 16 that every item found from the aircraft's wreckage would be returned. He had also shared a video showing the kin of a woman, who died in the crash, receiving gold ornaments recovered from her body from a police official. 'Air India Passengers: Each and Every Found Item Will Be Returned. After the Air India plane crash, the Ahmedabad City Police went above and beyond to ensure the deceased's family received their loved one's belongings,' Sanghavi had said in his post 'Gold ornament weighing 4-5 tolas, worth around ₹4.5 lakh, recovered from Veenaben Agheda's body was meticulously tracked down and returned to her family. The family praised the police for their honest work, expressing gratitude for their dedication to service,' the minister had added. A Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner of Air India with 242 persons on board crashed into the BJ 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.
The Star
14-06-2025
- General
- The Star
Dead bodies, mangled luggage, debris haunt rescuers at Air India crash site in Ahmedabad
AHMEDABAD, (India): Students of the B.J. Medical College were having lunch in their hostel dining hall on Thursday (June 12) when a Boeing 787 jet loaded with fuel smashed into the building and exploded. Flight AI171 had taken off just minutes earlier from a nearby airport in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad, before making a perilous descent that ended in the death of all but one of the 242 people aboard. The number of casualties among those on the ground and the building the plane slammed into is less clear. Those that rushed to the site in the wake of the crash were met with haunting visuals: a charred plane wing lay strewn across a road. Fragments of another wing and engine parts were nearby, along with clothes and mangled bags. A pungent smell of burnt debris lingered in the air. "The blast was so intense that no one could approach the site initially,' said Rajesh Patel, a 56-year-old real estate businessman. He was heading home for lunch on Thursday afternoon, but instead spent the next seven hours helping pull out bodies from the wreckage along with rescue workers. "The scene was horrific, with bodies scattered everywhere.' Plates with food at a dining hall of the medical school hostel at the crash site. - Photo: Bloomberg About 150 to 200 people, including students and workers, were inside the medical college hostel building when disaster struck, the Hindustan Times newspaper reported. "We collected the remains in bags and clothing, and later used sarees and sacks,' Patel said. "The rescue operation continued until 9pm, during which I personally collected around 50 bodies.' The official death toll will be announced only after DNA verification, according to Amit Shah, India's federal home minister. Investigators are combing the wreckage to determine what caused the Boeing Co. Dreamliner to crash. One of the two black boxes from the plane have been found, India's Aviation Ministry said Friday. The last communication from flight captain Sumeet Sabharwal to air traffic control was "Mayday…no thrust, losing power, unable to lift,' the UK's Telegraph newspaper reported. The flight was carrying 12 crew and 230 passengers, most of whom were Indian and British nationals. Luggage near the crash site of Air India Flight 171 in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, on Thursday, June 12, 2025. - Photo: Bloomberg Azaz Vohra, 29, has been waiting outside the local hospital since Thursday evening to collect the bodies of his cousin and two other relatives, including a child. "We had dropped Yasmin Vohra, my aunt, cousin Parvez Vohra, and his four-year-old daughter Zuveria Vohra at the airport on Thursday,' Vohra said. Vohra's cousin had visited India for dental treatment, bringing along his younger daughter while his wife and elder daughter stayed behind in the UK, he said. "We haven't received any updates from the hospital authorities,' Vohra said, showing photos of his relatives on his phone. Ahmedabad is the biggest city in Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state of Gujarat. The country's premier business school is also located there. Modi visited the crash site on Friday and met the lone survivor from the Air India flight. "Thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise,' Ramesh Vishwaskumar, who sat in the first row of economy class, told local reporters, according to the Hindustan Times newspaper. He walked out unassisted from the burning plane. "There were dead bodies around me. I got scared. I got up and ran. There were pieces of the plane everywhere,' he said. Media outlets identified him as a UK citizen aged 40, from the city of Leicester. Dead bodies were being released in batches on Friday from the hospital's post-mortem room. Medical students were overcome with emotion as they received the bodies of friends who had lost their lives. At the crash site, surrounded by burnt debris and scattered aircraft parts, a woman who identified herself as Babhiben was sitting in anguish, mourning the loss of her grandson. The 14-year-old boy, Akash, was neither a passenger nor a resident at the hostel. He simply happened to be in the neighborhood. - Bloomberg
