Ahmedabad plane crash: 247 victims identified through DNA tests; 232 bodies given to kin as of June 21
A total of 247 victims of the horrific June 12 Ahmedabad plane crash have been identified through DNA tests so far and 232 bodies have been handed over to their families, officials said on Saturday (June 21, 2025).
The authorities have asked the families of eight victims to submit the DNA samples of another relative, as the previous ones failed to match, they said.
Police said the matching of DNA samples confirmed that Ahmedabad-based filmmaker Mahesh Jirawala, who was reported missing following the crash, died in the catastrophe. His mortal remains were handed over to his family.
In Maharashtra, relatives and friends gave an emotional farewell to Deepak Pathak and Irfan Shaikh — two crew members of the ill-fated flight — at Badlapur in Thane district and in Pimpri-Chinchwad near Pune city respectively.
The London-bound aircraft crashed into a hostel complex in Meghaninagar moments after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1.39 p.m. that day, killing 270 persons, including 241 on board. One passenger survived.
Authorities are carrying out DNA tests to establish the identity of the victims as many bodies were charred beyond recognition as the aircraft burst into flames or damaged on impact.
'Till Saturday evening, 247 DNA samples have matched. Relatives of these deceased were contacted. So far, mortal remains of 232 victims have been handed over to families. The process is continuing,' Ahmedabad Civil Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr. Rakesh Joshi said.
The 247 victims who have been identified comprise 187 Indians, 52 Britons, seven Portuguese nationals and a Canadian, he said. Of the 187 Indians, a total of 175 were on board the ill-fated aircraft, he said, adding they belong to areas in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Diu and Nagaland.
The state government had earlier stated that samples of 250 victims, including persons on board the ill-fated flight as well as those killed on the ground, were collected for identification.
The families of eight victims have been asked to give a sample of another relative for DNA tests after the first one did not match, Dr. Joshi said.
'Unless there is a match, bodies cannot be handed over to the kin. When there is no match for a longer period of time, then you can ask for another sample from another relative. If one sibling has given the sample, then a sample of another sibling is sought for matching the DNA with that of the victim,' he said.
'We generally prefer a sample of father or son/daughter. If not, then we take a sample of another available member,' Dr. Joshi added.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Print
2 hours ago
- The Print
What is CBI's case against Tata firm, Nehru Port Trust officials booked in Rs 800 cr dredging ‘scam'
Dredging of ports involves removal of marine rocks and clay from beneath the water surface to increase the depth of the navigation channel. In the case of JNPT, the process started in May 2003. The plan was to accommodate large-size cargo ships. According to the agency, alleged irregularities inflicted a loss of Rs 365.9 crore on JNPT during the first phase of dredging, which was conducted between 2010 and 2014, and Rs 438 crore in the second phase, which was said to have been conducted between 2012 and 2019. New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has booked Tata Consulting Engineers, a Tata Group company, other private firms, and some officials with Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), a public sector undertaking, for allegedly causing losses of nearly Rs 803 crore to the Nhava Sheva Port. In its FIR, the agency attributed said losses to alleged cartelisation in contracts and inflated bills for port dredging. On Wednesday, the CBI booked Tata Consulting Engineers project director Devdutt Bose; Sunil Kumar Madabhavi, a chief manager-level officer of the JNPT; two other firms in the marine engineering field, Mumbai-based Boskalis Smit India LLP and Chennai-based Jan De Nul Dredging India; and some unidentified public servants in the case. The CBI FIR, filed Wednesday, came more than three years after the probe agency, in June 2022, opened a preliminary enquiry (PE) into the allegations of collusion between JNPT officials and some private companies, leading to inflated estimates and restricted competition aimed at extending benefits solely to the colluding companies. Moreover, the CBI said it found that suppression of reports of independent experts and abuse of positions by JNPT officials resulted in excess payment for dredging beyond the Design Dredge Level (DDL). During the inquiry, 'the criminal conspiracy between the JNPT officials and other private persons, resulting in the wrongful loss, amounting to Rs 365.90 crore for phase-I and Rs 438 crore for phase-II to JNPT due to over-dredging has surfaced,' a CBI official noted in the complaint, which formed the basis of the CBI FIR. Also Read: What court said while acquitting former coal secretary & joint secretary in Mahuagarhi coal block case CBI FIR on conflict of interest, excess payment Nearly seven years after receiving a detailed report to increase the depth of the navigational channel at the port, the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) roped in the Tata Consulting Engineer (TCE) for a final report on the dredging plan and cost estimate. The TCE and Dredging Solution, another firm, prepared the final report in December 2010, the CBI FIR has documented. The TCE was also awarded the work of the project management consultant for the first phase. So, it was responsible for preparing tender documents and supervising project execution, the CBI FIR has further stated. Moreover, the TCE recommended three alternative dredging proposals and the modalities for each. It also recommended a second phase of the exercise to cater to the expected increased traffic at the port in 2020. Then, TCE, jointly with E&Y and Howe Engineering Project (India), prepared a final report. Similar to the final report of the first phase, Howe Engineering Project (India) suggested three alternatives for dredging to accommodate 20-foot-size ships, which have a capacity of 12,500 20-foot equivalent units. TCE was also made the project management consultant for the second phase, ignoring the conflict of interest. In the complaint to the agency, leading to an FIR, a CBI official noted a 'significant delay' in the dredging work from 2010 onwards, without proper assessment of prevailing dredging requirements since the detailed project report was prepared way back in May 2003. The investigators further noted that while the first phase was in progress, JNPT management led by Sunil Kumar Madabhavi had already assigned TCE the work to write the final report for the second phase. The second phase of the project began and the payment for it made based on the TCE report in violation of the JNPT board-adopted project note, which explicitly mentioned that the two phases of dredging would be taken up separately. The CBI FIR has noted that in the first phase, the excess dredging, 14.85 million cubic metre beyond the DDL, resulted in a Rs 365.90 crore excess payment, a loss for the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust. 'JNPT officials, in connivance with the PMC (project management consultant) and contractor, have also made an excess payment of Rs.430 crores to the contractor for over dredging made in Phase-II,' the FIR has stated. According to the CBI FIR, two different software were used to conduct the survey before and after the second phase of dredging. The pre-dredging survey used one software known for accuracy and widely accepted globally. However, the post-dredging survey used software patented by one of the parties in the deal on the behest of one Devdutt Bose, the project director on behalf of TCE, the FIR has claimed. Additionally, the CBI FIR alleged that Bose, along with JNPT chief manager in the planning, projects, and development (PP&D) department Sunil Kumar Madabhavi, hatched a conspiracy to allow shadow bidding by a joint venture between Boskalis Smit India LLP and Jan De Nul Dredging India and extended undue financial favours, including payments amounting to Rs 348 crore to the companies in the second phase for work already executed in the first phase, without any such work taking place. 'The above acts of commission and omission on the part of 1) Shri Sunil Kumar Madabhavi, the then Chief Manager (PP&D), JNPT, 2) Shri Devdutt Bose, Project Director with M/s TCE, 3) M/s Tata Consulting Engineers, 4) M/s BoskalisSmit India LLP, 5) M/s Jan De Nul Dredging India Pvt. Ltd. and 6) other unknown public servant and private persons, disclose commission of offences punishable U/s 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of IPC r/w 420 (cheating) of IPC and Section 13 (2) r/w 13(1) (d) of PC Act, 1988 (un-amended) and substantive offences thereof. Therefore, it is requested that a regular case may be registered against the above mentioned persons,' the CBI official documented. (Edited by Madhurita Goswami) Also Read: Another closure report in 2010 CWG 'scam'. Here's what happened to the 19 FIRs filed since 2010
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Babbar Khalsa terror module busted; 7 high-end pistols, 6kg heroin seized; 3 arrested
Amritsar: Punjab Police seized seven sophisticated pistols and over 6kg heroin in two operations conducted in Amritsar on Saturday. Amritsar police commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar informed that police busted a Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terror module after the arrest of a local operative, Onkar Singh. During the operation, police seized four Glock-make pistols and two PX5. A preliminary probe revealed that the BKI module was operated by UK-based handler Dharam Singh alias 'Dharma Sandhu', who is believed to be an associate of Pakistan-based terrorist Harvinder Rinda. An FIR was registered, and an investigation is under way to uncover the broader network, said the commissioner. In the second case, police dismantled a cross-border drug-smuggling racket with the arrest of two key operatives—Lovepreet Singh alias Love and Balwinder Singh alias Bobby. Police seized 6.15kg heroin, one PX5 pistol, four live cartridges, and Rs 10,000 in drug money from their possession, informed Punjab director general of police Gaurav Yadav. The initial probe indicated that the accused were in direct contact with Pakistani smugglers through WhatsApp, highlighting a strong cross-border
Indian Express
3 hours ago
- Indian Express
Wanted in cheating case, Surat man held at Ahmedabad airport after extradition from Dubai
Absconding since 2022 in a cheating and fraud case, a Surat-based man was arrested by the CBI at the Ahmedabad International Airport on Friday after being deported from Dubai. The accused was returned as a deportee from the UAE after a Red Corner Notice was issued against him, police said. On Saturday, Surat Economic Offence Wing (EOW) officials were handed over the custody of the accused, Upavan Pavan Jain. The operation was carried out by the International Police Cooperation Unit (IPCU) and the CBI in collaboration with National Central Bureau (NCB)-Abu Dhabi. Sources said Upavan was earlier geo-located in the UAE after a close follow-up by the CBI in collaboration with INTERPOL and NCB-Abu Dhabi. In 2022, a case was registered against Adajan in Surat for Upavan's alleged involvement in cheating by personation, dishonestly inducing the delivery of property, forgery of valuable securities, and criminal conspiracy. According to the CBI press release, Upavan conspired with the co-accused to forge documents and cheat the complainant. The accused, who was working as a real estate agent at the time, showed four different properties to the complainant and managed to convince him to buy the properties through him, said the release. He had his accomplices assume dummy identities of actual property owners and, based on forged documents, opened bank accounts in the latter's name, it added. This way, he defrauded the complainant to the tune of Rs 3.66 crore, said the release. The CBI got a Red Corner Notice published against Upavan on June 6, 2023, through INTERPOL on the request of the Gujarat Police. Upavan was arrested in the UAE after which an extradition request was sent by the ministry concerned. On March 23, 2022, Gyanchand Jain, a resident of Adajan area in Surat, had lodged a complaint against Upavan, a resident of Pal Bhata Road in the city and a native of Rajasthan, along with Harilal Gondaliya, Arif Pathan, Naresh Vadher, and four unknown persons. The offence was committed between 2019 and 2021, it was alleged. Assistant Commissioner of Police, Eco Cell, G A Sarvaiya said, 'Upavan has been absconding since 2022. We have issued a Red Corner Notice against him. In this case, eight accused have been arrested till date. We are questioning Upavan to get more details.'
