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Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi on Sunday said that former Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was among those who died in the tragic Air India flight AI-171 crash in Ahmedabad. His identity was confirmed through DNA matching.
Rupani was one of the 241 passengers who lost their lives after the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed into the BJ Medical College hostel shortly after take-off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on June 12. "Former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani lost his life during the Air India flight crash in Ahmedabad on June 12. Today, at around 11:10 AM, his DNA has been matched. He worked for the people of Gujarat for several years. The mortal remains of Rupani will be handed over to his family, and the authorities will decide on the final rites," Sanghavi said. Union Minister Nimuben Bambhaniya expressed her condolences, saying, "The plane accident that happened in Ahmedabad is truly sad. Former CM Vijay Rupani died in that accident. He knew every BJP worker very well. We won't be able to fill his void of work. Every worker has tears in their eyes." Earlier, Sanghavi also shared details about the overall identification efforts. "Update as of 1.00 pm- From 9 PM last night to 1 PM today, our teams have worked tirelessly to match DNA samples. We are pleased to report that an additional 22 DNA samples have been matched, bringing the total to 42 matched DNA samples so far," Sanghavi wrote in a post on X today. "Ongoing Efforts: State Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) unit team and National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) team are working through the night to match more DNA samples," he added. Earlier, FSL Director HP Sanghavi stated that DNA testing was essential for victim identification due to the extreme heat from the crash and subsequent fire, which rendered the traditional methods ineffective. On Saturday, Ahmedabad Civil Hospital's Additional Medical Superintendent Dr Rajnish Patel said, "So far, 31 victims have been identified through DNA matching. Twelve bodies have been handed over to their respective family members. We are waiting for others to come and collect the remains of their relatives." Air India, in a post on X, announced an interim financial assistance package of Rs 25 lakh (approximately GBP 21,000) for the "families of the deceased and to the survivor" of the tragic crash. In a post on X, the Tata-owned airline stated that the package was in addition to the Rs 1 crore support already announced by Tata Sons. The crash claimed 241 lives out of the 242 people onboard, which included 230 passengers and 12 crew members. The lone survivor, Vishwashkumar Ramesh, a British national of Indian origin, is currently undergoing treatment for his injuries. (ANI)
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