Shock and uncertainty gripped Gujarat’s political circles Thursday afternoon as former Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was feared to be among the 242 people killed in the Air India Flight 171 crash shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad.
The London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner plunged into a residential area in Meghani Nagar just minutes after departing Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1:38 PM. Sources close to the senior BJP leader confirmed he had plans to travel to the UK allegedly to bring back his wife, Anjali Rupani, who is currently in London.
While there has been no official confirmation of his presence on the flight, multiple reports and leaked documents suggest that a “Vijay Ramniklal Rupani” was listed as the 12th passenger, travelling in Business Class (Z category).
BJP spokesperson Yagnesh Dave acknowledged that Rupani was scheduled to travel but said that his current status remains unknown. Visuals from outside Rupani’s Rajkot residence showed a crowd of anxious neighbours and supporters gathered in silence, awaiting news.
“We’ve been neighbours since 1988. This feels like it’s happening to our own family,” said a longtime neighbour named Kiran, speaking to ANI.
Former state minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama, a close confidante of Rupani, rushed to his Gandhinagar residence after hearing the news. “I knew he was scheduled to travel to London today. After seeing the crash reports, I came here directly and will now head to the airport,” he told reporters.
The aircraft was carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew members, all of whom have been confirmed dead by the Ahmedabad police. As of the latest update, over 60 bodies have been recovered from the crash site, while emergency teams continue search and recovery operations amid heavy wreckage and scattered debris.
The airport, which briefly shut down for nearly three hours following the crash, resumed operations at 4:05 PM, according to the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Flight safety protocols have been rechecked and reinforced, the ministry stated.
Air India issued a dedicated emergency hotline (1800 5691 444) for families and relatives seeking information, while the Ahmedabad City Police also released a local emergency number (079-25620359) for immediate assistance.
The incident has sent shockwaves across political and public spheres, with the state and central governments closely monitoring the investigation. For now, the question on many minds Was Vijay Rupani on that flight?remains unanswered.
SOURCE :- THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS
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