‘Hum bas umeed lagaye baithe hai': Family awaits news on Agra couple after Air India crash

Indian Express

3 days ago

In the dusty bylanes of Akola, nestled on the outskirts of Agra, grief clings to the plastered walls and uneven cement floors of a small family home, where the Lavania family waits for news — any news — of Neeraj Lavania and his wife Aparna, who were aboard the Air India Flight AI 171 from Ahmedabad to London.
On Thursday afternoon, the B787 Boeing Dreamliner carrying 242 passengers and crew crashed in the Meghaninagar area — minutes after taking off from the Sardar Vallabhbhai International Airport. The flight had only one survivor.
There has been no news of the Agra couple since.
At the heart of the village, all eyes turn to one house — that of Neeraj's elder brother, Satish Lavania, a grocery store owner who continues to live in their parental home.
Since the news broke, women and men from across the neighbourhood have been pouring in.
In a cramped room, Arpita, Neeraj's sister-in-law, lies motionless on a bed. Her eyes are vacant, her lips sealed. Around her, her two young children, her sister, and niece sit close, trying to offer comfort without knowing how. The only sound is the persistent screech of a ceiling fan, occasionally interrupted by soft sobs.
'Woh issi ghar ke bete hai… Vadodara mein job karte the, manager the kisi badi company mein. Hum bas umeed lagaye baithe hai ki kuch acchi khabar milegi (He is the son of this family… he used to work in Vadodara, he was a manager in a big company. We are just hoping for some good news),' says Deeksha, Arpita's niece.
The house is crowded with women — some crouched on the floor, others clutching each other for strength. They murmur prayers, offer water, whisper reassurances that even they don't fully believe.
'Himmat se kaam lo… accha hi hoga, sab log accha sochoge toh accha hi hoga (Be brave… only good will happen, if you think positively, then good things will happen),' says a neighbour as she wipes Arpita's tears.
Another woman tries to smile, 'Abhi toh woh (Satish) raste mein hai… hospital pahuchke pata chalega. Sab accha hoga (Right now he (Satish) is on his way… we will know once he reaches the hospital. Everything will be fine).'
Satish, a relative, along with a few male relatives, left for Ahmedabad early Friday morning to identify the couple. He had spoken to Neeraj just before the couple boarded the flight.
Their 18-year-old daughter, who just began her first year of college, is under the care of her maternal grandmother in Vadodara.
In the verandah, where the men sit quietly, visitors include the local MLA, pradhan, and neighbours — some offering condolences, others simply sitting in solidarity.
'There was a woman who missed the flight because she got stuck in traffic. She was saved,' says Gambhir Singh Chahal, the village pradhan. 'Par jab jiska samay aa jaaye… usse jaana hi padta hai… ('But when someone's time comes… he has to go…)'
Harswaroop, Neeraj's cousin, speaks in a hushed tone, 'My son has gone with Satish. We haven't told the women yet… not fully. They'll faint if we do. The men are trying to manage the grief — we're still waiting for the right moment to tell the women.'
As stories from Neeraj's past resurface, his uncle Veer Prakash Lavania sits near the doorway and recounts his life.
'He was a lovely boy… always smiling, always joking,' he says, 'He left Akola 20 years ago. He first worked in the Netherlands for two years, then settled in Vadodara. But he always came back — on Holi, Diwali, family functions and weddings — without fail. He would meet his old friends, some who now teach in schools here, others who farm. He had gone far ahead in life, but never left his roots.'
The last time he visited, he hugged old classmates, laughed with neighbours, and walked these very lanes. None of them thought it would be the last time, he added.