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Indian Express
2 days ago
- General
- Indian Express
Among victims, British citizen with Surat roots who had come home for Eid, BJP leader headed to London to meet daughter
Earlier this month, Abdulla Nanabawa of Surat received a pleasant surprise. His son Akeel, daughter-in-law Haana, and three-year-old granddaughter Sara – all British citizens – had flown down to India on the occasion of Eid. Early on Thursday morning, Akeel and his family left their Surat home to reach Ahmedabad to catch the flight back to London. A little before 2pm, as news of a plane crashing minutes after takeoff from Ahmedabad Airport trickled in, the Nanabawa family began fearing the worst. In some time, the fears were confirmed – Akeel and his family were on the Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner that was involved in the accident. Rashid Mansuri, a relative of the Nanabawa family, told The Indian Express, 'We learnt about the incident through news channels. Along with Abdulla and a few other family members, I have left for Ahmedabad. We don't know whether Akeel and his family are alive or dead.' Family sources said that Akeel had not told anyone about his plans to come to Surat to celebrate Bakrid, which fell on June 6 this year. 'He straightaway showed up at his home on the day of Eid. We were all surprised. Abdulla and others were delighted…' the sources added. Sources said while Abdulla has been residing at his ancestral home in Surat's Haripura area for the last 15 years, his four sons, including Akeel, were based in London. All four had British citizenship. Another family that was on board the ill-fated flight was the Halanis from Anand district in Central Gujarat. Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Badruddin Halani (65), his wife Yasmin (60), and his sister-in-law Halani Malekben Rajabali (55) were on the flight. Badruddin was going to London to meet his daughter, sources close to the family added. 'Every year, he visits London and stays there for a couple of months, spending time with his daughter and grandchildren,' said one of them. Badruddin was earlier settled in Vapi in Valsad where he was involved in some business, said sources. A couple of years ago, Badruddin left Vapi and settled in his native place in Anand. While his son looks after his business now, Badruddin has been involved in social work related to education, said the sources. Family sources stated that Badruddin had been associated with the Muslim Rashtriya Manch, a wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), for the past 40 years. He had earlier served as the director of the Gujarat State Wakf Committee. More recently, he was a member of the Gujarat State BJP Muslim Wing Coordination Committee, they said. He was also a founding committee member and president of the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Military Academy (Sainik School), established two years ago near Silvassa in the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli.
BBC News
03-04-2025
- BBC News
Bradford family 'destroyed' by death of hard-working dad in hit-and-run
A man whose father was killed in a hit-and-run crash said the family had been "destroyed" by his Ahmed, 42, died when he was hit by a black Audi Q3 on Great Horton Road, at the junction with Havelock Street, in Bradford on 27 March. His 20-year-old son Amman Butt told the BBC he would "never forgive" those behind the wheel of the car that hit his dad."Those people who've done it, I'm never going to forgive them for the damage that they've caused and the family they've destroyed," he said. Mr Ahmed, a kitchen fitter who emigrated from Pakistan to the UK when he was a teenager, "never took a day off" work, according to his son."He'd always be out Monday to Sunday working and he'd get told off by my mum telling him to take a day off for himself."But as soon as he got a phone call to measure a kitchen, even if that was at 10 or 11 o'clock, he'd be out." As a dad, he was selfless, Amman said."He loved giving me money."He'd never spend it on himself, he'd always spend it on me and my sister," he Ahmed also left behind his wife Razia Bano and Amman's sister Alishba a law and business management student at Leeds Beckett University, was working at his part-time job at the Co-op when he heard that his dad had been in a crash."I was shocked and panicky," he said."You obviously don't know how severe it is."You don't know what has gone on or what has led up to that moment for such a bad accident to happen." Amman said his father's death was especially difficult in the final days of Ramadan when the family were looking forward to Eid."We were coming so close to Eid."There was only a few days, the last few fasts."When you hear the news you want to drink a bit of water and calm down, because you're panicking." Footage of the incident had circulated on social said: "It did anger me quite a lot."I was watching it over and over again."Especially seeing him go to the air and fall to the ground, it's a lot to look at."West Yorkshire Police said three men and a 17-year-old boy had been arrested in connection with the investigation and released on bail. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
