Latest news with #Jirawala
NDTV
2 hours ago
- NDTV
Air India Plane Crash: 9 Days On, Process To Identify Victims Continues
Ahmedabad: Nine days after the Ahmedabad plane crash, the process to identify several victims is still underway as the authorities have asked eight families to submit the DNA sample of another relative, as the previous ones failed to match. Ahmedabad-based filmmaker Mahesh Jirawala, who was reported missing following the June 12 air crash, the matching of DNA samples confirmed that he died in the catastrophe, following which his body was 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 Air India flight AI-171 carrying 242 passengers and crew members crashed in Ahmedabad moments after it took off from the city airport last Thursday, killing all but one on board, and 29 on the ground as the aircraft smashed into a medical complex in the Meghaninagar area. Since many of the bodies were burned beyond recognition or damaged otherwise, authorities are carrying out DNA tests to establish the identity of the victims of the horrific tragedy. Until Friday, DNA samples of 231 victims have been matched, and 210 bodies have been handed over to families. However, families of eight victims have been asked to give a sample of another relative for DNA tests after the first one did not match, an official said. "Unless there is a match, bodies cannot be handed over to the kin, " Ahmedabad Civil Hospital's medical superintendent Rakesh Joshi told PTI. "When there is no match for a longer period of time, then you can ask 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," Mr Joshi added. He, however, clarified that samples of siblings have matched in the process. There are at least eight such families whose first sample has not matched, so another sample was sought. On Friday, Mr Joshi said that since the DNA matching process is highly sensitive and involves legal protocols, it is being conducted with utmost seriousness and speed. To ensure that families receive the bodies of their loved ones quickly, Forensic Science University, along with associated institutions, local administrative authorities, the state government's health and other departments, and various agencies are working tirelessly. Meanwhile, police said that through the matching of DNA samples, it has been confirmed that filmmaker Jirawala has died in the plane crash. Jirawala, 34, was passing by from the area on his two-wheeler just when the London-bound plane plunged into a hostel complex, he said. Joint Commissioner of Police, Sector 2, Jaipalsinh Rathore said the DNA test confirmed that Jirawala died as a result of the plane crash, but as his family members were still in disbelief, the police collected and presented other evidence, such as CCTV footage of the road and his burnt scooter, in order to clear their doubts from their mind and convince them. "Jirawala's family took his body on Friday after the DNA test confirmed his identity. His scooter, which was destroyed in the fire, was also recovered from near the crash site. The chassis and engine number also matched with the registration documents of the scooter," he said. "To clear his family's doubts, we collected CCTV footage of that area to establish that he was indeed using that route for some time. His last mobile location was last traced close to the accident site," the officer added. Soon after the crash, the mobile phone of Jirawala, a resident of Naroda locality in Ahmedabad, got switched off, and he never returned home as he had promised his wife, Hetal. Talking to reporters, she said her husband, who was also known as Mahesh Kalavadiya, was a filmmaker and used to direct music albums. On the day of the plane crash, Jirawala went to meet someone at the Law Garden area. At 1:14 pm, he called his wife and told her that his meeting was over and that he was on his way home. However, when he did not return, she called on his number but found it switched off. After the police were informed, their investigation found that as per the last location of his mobile phone, he was 700 metres away from the crash site. In Badlapur, crew member Pathak was cremated in the presence of thousands of mourners. The body of Pathak (34), who had been serving the national carrier for the past 11 years, was handed over to his family members after a nine-day-long identification process, confirmed through DNA testing. Family, friends, neighbours, and people from all walks of life walked behind the flower-bedecked truck carrying Pathak's coffin to the crematorium. Pimpri Chinchwad-based Shaikh family had received 22-year-old Irfan's remains after a DNA match on Friday, and they were brought to Pune in the early hours. His last rites were held at a graveyard in Nehru Nagar in the presence of family, neighbours, friends, and leaders from across political parties.
Hindustan Times
4 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Plane crash: Nine days on, process to ascertain identity of victims continues
Ahmedabad, Nine days after the Ahmedabad plane crash, the process to identify several victims is still underway as the authorities have asked eight families to submit the DNA sample of another relative as the previous ones failed to match. Plane crash: Nine days on, process to ascertain identity of victims continues Ahmedabad-based filmmaker Mahesh Jirawala, who was reported missing following the June 12 air crash, the matching of DNA samples confirmed that he died in the catastrophe, following which 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 Air India flight AI-171 carrying 242 passengers and crew members crashed in Ahmedabad moments after it off from the city airport last Thursday, killing all but one on board, and 29 on the ground as the aircraft smashed into a medical complex in Meghaninagar area. Since many of the bodies were burnt beyond recognition or damaged otherwise, authorities are carrying out DNA tests to establish the identity of victims of the horrific tragedy. Until Friday, DNA samples of 231 deceased have been matched and 210 bodies handed over to families. However, families of eight victims have been asked to give a sample of another relative for DNA tests after the first one did not match, an official said. "Unless there is a match, bodies cannot be handed over to the kin, " Ahmedabad Civil Hospital's medical superintendent Rakesh Joshi told PTI. "When there is no match for a longer period of time, then you can ask 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," Joshi added. He, however, clarified that samples of siblings have matched in the process. There are at least eight such families whose first sample has not matched, so another sample was sought. On Friday, Joshi had said since the DNA matching process is highly sensitive and involves legal protocols, it is being conducted with utmost seriousness and speed. To ensure that families receive the bodies of their loved ones quickly, Forensic Science University, along with associated institutions, local administrative authorities, the state government's health and other departments, and various agencies are working tirelessly. Meanwhile, police said through the matching of DNA samples it has been confirmed that filmmaker Jirawala has died in the plane crash. Jirawala, 34, was passing by from the area on his two-wheeler just when the London-bound plane plunged into a hostel complex, he said. Joint Commissioner of Police, Sector 2, Jaipalsinh Rathore said the DNA test confirmed that Jirawala died as a result of the plane crash, but as his family members were still in disbelief, the police collected and presented other evidence, such as CCTV footage of the road and his burnt scooter, in order to clear their doubts from their mind and convince them. "Jirawala's family took his body on Friday after the DNA test confirmed his identity. His scooter, which was destroyed in the fire, was also recovered from near the crash site. The chassis and engine number also matched with the registration documents of the scooter," he said. "To clear his family's doubts, we collected CCTV footage of that area to establish that he was indeed using that route for some time. His last mobile location was last traced close to the accident site," the officer added. Soon after the crash, the mobile phone of Jirawala, a resident of Naroda locality in Ahmedabad, got switched off and he never returned home as he had promised to his wife Hetal. Talking to reporters, she said her husband, who was also known as Mahesh Kalavadiya, was a filmmaker and used to direct music albums. On the day of the plane crash, Jirawala went to meet someone at the Law Garden area. At 1.14 pm, he called his wife and told her that his meeting was over and that he was on his way home. However, when he did not return, she called on his number but found it switched off. After the police were intimated, their investigation found that as per the last location of his mobile phone he was 700 metres away from the crash site. In Badlapur, the mortal remains of crew member Pathak were consigned to flames at a crematorium in the presence of thousands of mourners. The body of Pathak , who had been serving the national carrier for the past 11 years, was handed over to his family members after a nine-day-long identification process, confirmed through DNA testing. Family, friends, neighbours, and people from all walks of life walked behind the flower-bedecked truck carrying Pathak's coffin to the crematorium. Pimpri Chinchwad-based Shaikh family had received 22-year-old Irfan's remains after a DNA match on Friday, and they were brought to Pune in the early hours. His last rites were held at a graveyard in Nehru Nagar in the presence of family, neighbours, friends, and leaders from across political parties. PTI PJT PR PD SPK COR BNM ARU NSK NP This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Mint
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Mint
Air India plane crash: DNA test confirms Gujarat filmmaker Mahesh Jirawala's death
Air India plane crash: What began as a desperate hope for the search for a 'missing' husband, ended up in a tragedy for Gujarat filmmaker Mahesh Jirawala's family after his death was officially confirmed a week after the deadly plane crash in Ahmedabad on June 12. The confirmation came after DNA test results matched his family's samples. "They were not ready to believe his death," sources aware of the matter told NDTV. Earlier, a burnt Activa scooter belonging to Jirawala was recovered from the site, raising suspicion that he may have been struck by the crashing aircraft. The Gujarati filmmaker's wife had also shared that Jirawala's mobile phone's last known location was 700 m away from the crash site. Naroda-resident Mahesh Kalawadia, also known as Mahesh Jirawala, went to meet someone at Law Garden area on June 12 afternoon. Mahesh Jirawala's wife, Hetal told news agency PTI that her husband had called her up around 1:14 pm, informing her that his meeting was over. At 1:40 pm — a minute after the deadly crash — Jirawala's phone was switched off. Remains of the crashed Air India plane lie on a building, in Ahmedabad "His phone got switched off around 1:40pm. His scooter and mobile phone are missing. All this is unusual since he would never use that route (as per the last location) to come home. We have submitted DNA samples to check if he was one of those killed on the ground due to the crash," said Hetal. A Naroda-resident, Mahesh Kalawadia, also known as Mahesh Jirawala used to direct music albums. Mahesh Jirawala was a well-known name in Gujarat's music and short film circles. His directorial work spanned across various formats, but he was specially recognised for the 2019 Gujarati film Cocktail Premi: Paw of Revenge, which starred Asha Panchal and Vritti Thakkar, mentioned a report by Gujarat Samachar.
Hindustan Times
6 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Missing filmmaker died in Ahmedabad crash despite not being in plane or hostel
Filmmaker Mahesh Jirawala, who was reported missing after the Ahmedabad plane crash, has been confirmed to have died in the tragedy after DNA tests matched his identification, police officials said on Saturday. The filmmaker's last mobile location was traced just 700 metres away from the plane crash site in Ahmedabad's Meghani Nagar. (Raju Shinde/HT Photo) The 34-year-old filmmaker's missing report raised fears of his death but left some grounds for hope as he was neither present in the hostel complex nor on the plane at the time of the crash. Air India AI171 Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed into the hostel complex of BJ Medical College in Meghani Nagar in Gujarat's Ahmedabad on June 12, within minutes of its takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. However, it has now become clear that Jirawala was passing by from the area on his two-wheeler when the Gatwick-bound aircraft plunged into the hostel complex. Jaipalsinh Rathore, joint commissioner of police, Sector 2, said that a DNA test confirmed that Jirawala died in the plane crash. ALSO READ | Emotional farewell for Air India crew member Irfan Shaikh who died in Ahmedabad However, he said, since his family members were in disbelief over his death, police collected evidence such as CCTV footage of the road Jirawala was on and his burnt scooter, to clear their doubts. "Jirawala's family took his body on Friday after the DNA test confirmed his identity. His scooter, which was destroyed in the fire, was also recovered from near the crash site. The chassis and engine number also matched with the registration documents of the scooter," Rathore was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. In addition to the evidence police collected to confirm the filmmaker's death, they also traced Jirawala's last mobile location close to the accident site. ALSO READ | Ahmedabad plane crash: Week on, key recoveries done, debris to be shifted to AAI site Since many bodies were charred beyond recognition or otherwise damaged, authorities carried out DNA tests to establish their identities. What happened on June 12? Mahesh Jirawala, a resident of Naroda locality in Ahmedabad, had promised to return home to his wife Hetal. However, soon after the Air India plane crashed, his phone got switched off, and Jirawala never reached home. ALSO READ | DNA tests identify 231 Ahmedabad plane crash victims According to Hetal, Jirawala was also known as Mahesh Kalavadiya, and he was a filmmaker and used to direct music albums. On the day of the tragic incident, Jirawala had gone to meet someone at the Law Garden area. He called his wife at around 1:14 pm and told her that his meeting was over, adding that he was on his way home. However, when he did not return home, Hetal called his number, which was switched off. Soon, Jirawala's family informed the police. Investigations revealed that the filmmaker was just 700 metres away from the crash site as per the last known location of his mobile phone. Earlier, Hetal said that she never believed her husband would take that route and be eventually killed in the plane crash. Though they didn't believe Jirawala could die in the crash, his family members submitted the DNA samples to check if he was among the victims of the tragedy.
The Hindu
6 hours ago
- The Hindu
Missing filmmaker confirmed dead in Ahmedabad plane crash after DNA match; body handed over to kin
Filmmaker Mahesh Jirawala, who was reported missing following last week's Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, has died in the catastrophe as confirmed by the DNA matching of samples, a police official said on Saturday (June 21, 2025). Jirawala, 34, was passing by from the area on his two-wheeler just when the London-bound plane plunged into a hostel complex in Meghaninagar part of Ahmedabad moments after taking off from the city's international airport, he said, adding that his mortal remains were handed over to his family. A total of 270 persons - 241 on board the aircraft and 29 on the ground - were killed in the crash, one of India's worst aviation disasters. Joint Commissioner of Police, Sector 2, Jaipalsinh Rathore said the DNA test confirmed that Jirawala died in the plane crash, but as his family members were still in disbelief, the police collected and presented other evidence, such as CCTV footage of the road and his burnt scooter, in order to clear their doubts and convince them. "Jirawala's family took his body on Friday after the DNA test confirmed his identity. His scooter, which was destroyed in the fire, was also recovered from near the crash site. The chassis and engine number also matched with the registration documents of the scooter," he said. "To clear his family's doubts, we collected CCTV footage of that area to establish that he was indeed using that route for some time. His last mobile location was last traced close to the accident site," the officer added. Since many of the bodies were burnt beyond recognition or damaged otherwise, authorities are carrying out DNA tests to establish the identity of victims of the horrific tragedy. Soon after the crash, the mobile phone of Jirawala, a resident of Naroda locality in Ahmedabad, got switched off and he never returned home as he had promised to his wife Hetal. Talking to reporters, she said her husband, who was also known as Mahesh Kalavadiya, was a filmmaker and used to direct music albums. On the day of the plane crash, Jirawala went to meet someone at the Law Garden area. At 1.14 pm, he called his wife and told her that his meeting was over and that he was on his way home. However, when he did not return, she called on his number but found it switched off. After the police were intimated, their investigation found that as per the last location of his mobile phone he was 700 metres away from the crash site. Hetal earlier said she never believed that her husband would pass from that route and eventually get killed in the crash. While maintaining that he would never use that route to come home, his family submitted the DNA samples to check if he was one of those killed on the ground.
