The body of former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who tragically lost his life in the recent Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner plane crash in Ahmedabad, has been identified through DNA testing. Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghvi confirmed the identification, stating that the body would be handed over to the family after completing further formalities. Vijay Rupani was en route to London to bring back his wife Anjali and their daughter when the accident occurred. His funeral is expected to take place in Rajkot, Gujarat.
Vijay Rupani served as the Chief Minister of Gujarat from 2016 until September 2021. He was the fourth leader from Rajkot to hold the post, following in the footsteps of Ghanshyam Oza, Keshubhai Patel, and Narendra Modi. Rupani had suffered a personal tragedy earlier when his son Pujit Rupani died in an accident. In his memory, the family established the Pujit Rupani Memorial Trust, which has since undertaken several service initiatives. His sudden demise in the plane crash has come as a shock to many.
The ill-fated Air India flight took off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport bound for London and crashed within minutes at 1:39 pm on June 12. The aircraft went down into the mess facility of BJ Medical College, which also housed the hostel for postgraduate and special category students. Of the 242 people on board, 241 lost their lives. The tragedy also claimed the lives of students and staff who were present in the mess and hostel at the time.
Currently, 32 individuals are receiving treatment for injuries sustained in the crash, including 16 students. Among the injured are also hospital staff from BJ Medical College and local civilians. Notably, one survivor, Ramesh Vishwas Kumar, was rescued from the wreckage. Search operations are ongoing to locate those still missing.
Air India has announced compensation measures for the victims and survivors. The airline pledged an immediate ex-gratia payment of Rs 25 lakh for the families of the deceased and for those injured. This is in addition to the ₹1 crore financial assistance announced earlier by the Tata Group, bringing the total compensation to ₹1.25 crore per individual. Furthermore, the Tata Group has committed to covering the full medical expenses of all those injured in the tragedy.
In a message to employees, the chairman of the Tata Group expressed deep sorrow, calling it one of the darkest days in the company’s history. The Group has confirmed that a full-scale investigation is underway to determine the cause of the crash.
