Bear in the air
Sir — Hollywood has depicted the mayhem caused by animals let loose on an aircraft in movies such as Snakes on a Plane. Passengers onboard an Iraqi Airways flight from Dubai to Baghdad had a somewhat similar experience recently when a bear escaped from the cargo hold of the plane as it was about to take off. This forced the crew to evacuate passengers while the animal was brought under control and caused a delay. While an investigation has been ordered to find out why the bear was being flown and how it escaped, the incident shows that it is best not to poke the bear, as the saying goes.
Ashok Mitra, Calcutta
Under attack
Sir — The question posed by a Muslim youngster to the Congress leader, Rahul Gandhi, about the treatment of his community in New India is relevant (“The young Muslim’s question”, Aug 25). The latter’s reply, that it is the government’s job to make sure all citizens feel at home in their country irrespective of which community they belong to, was reassuring. Rahul Gandhi has admitted that not just Muslims but all minorities in India are increasingly under attack. The Congress and the Opposition alliance must strive to win the general elections and form a government that prevents communal violence.
T. Ramadas, Visakhapatnam
Stress factor
Sir — The recent trend of student deaths, whether self-inflicted or otherwise, is deeply concerning. The alleged suicide by a third-year student of computer science at the B.C. Roy Engineering College in Durgapur, coming close after the tragic demise of a first-year student at Jadavpur University, illustrates the poor mental health of youngsters who are pursuing their education far away from their homes. Educational institutions must adopt comprehensive measures to safeguard their students, including regular checks by the authorities on hostels and ensuring timely visits to counselors. Tackling the menace of ragging is also necessary. Higher educational institutions should foster a sense of inclusivity.
Masud Alam, Murshidabad
False figures
Sir — In the various Rozgar Melas organised by his government, the prime minister, Narendra Modi, has attacked previous dispensations for their failures. It is thus ironic that many recipients of appointment letters at these job fairs were not fresh recruits (“Devil in the Rozgar Mela details”, Aug 23). Surprisingly, it seems that those who have been promoted from the lower ranks were also included in the statistics of new jobs granted by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government.
Bidyut Kumar Chatterjee, Faridabad
Closely fought
Sir — The 18-year-old chess grandmaster from India, R. Praggnanandhaa, gave his best shot against the world number one, Magnus Carlsen, at the Fide World Cup 2023 (“Carlsen class apart, Praggu wins hearts”, Aug 25). It does not matter that he eventually failed to win the title. He displayed tremendous determination, taking the match to a tie-breaker.
Kirti Wadhawan, Kanpur
Sir — R. Praggnanandhaa’s remarkable journey culminated in a runner-up finish
at the Fide World Cup 2023 after a gripping final against the five-time world champion, Magnus Carlsen. The initial games in the final ended in draws but Carlsen managed to win the first tie-break and forced a draw in the second.
Amarjeet Kumar, Hazaribagh
Sir — A brilliant run by India’s R. Praggnanandhaa ended in defeat in the final. He may have lost the final, but he has won hearts across the world.
Bhagwan Thadani, Mumbai
