Last year, on the afternoon of June 12, flight AI 171 carrying 242 passengers crashed into the BJ Medical College hostel, causing utter destruction. All but one passenger and several people on the ground lost their lives. Smoke billowed from the site, and hundreds joined rescue and relief efforts.
Memorial and Tributes
A year later, the site in Meghaninagar became a memorial as hundreds from Ahmedabad and beyond arrived with photographs of loved ones who died in the crash. They paid homage with flowers, prayers, and candles. The city marked the first anniversary with hope that relatives would find closure through the crash report's findings.
At BJ Medical College, the healthcare fraternity and bereaved families gathered to honor four medical students and all 260 victims. Another prayer meeting was held at a private hotel on Ashram Road, where families discussed further action.
Families Remember Their Loved Ones
Family members of Rozar Christian and his wife Rachana offered wreaths. The couple had been live-in caretakers in the UK, having migrated from New Zealand. A priest read from the Bible and prayed for them. Earlier, a religious group performed a ritual near the site for the departed souls.
Praful Patel, father of victim Dirdh, came with his wife and other son. Dirdh was studying in the UK. “It all still feels unreal. There has not been a single day when we have not missed Dirdh’s presence in our lives,” Patel said. He and other relatives offered floral tributes.
Among the poignant sights was a full-size cutout of Akash Patni and banners commemorating Jivi Kabrawala, a local resident who died on the ground. On Friday night, a 'Bhajan Sandhya' was organized by neighborhood residents.
Official Presence and Tree Plantation Drive
The BJ Medical College prayer meeting was attended by British High Commissioner Lindi Cameron, Ahmedabad Mayor Hitesh Barot, MLA Darshana Vaghela, and Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Rajeev Topno. They prayed for the four deceased medical students: Aryan Rajput, Jayprakash Chaudhary, Manav Bhadoo, and Rakesh Diyora.
Dr. Minakshi Parikh, BJ Medical College dean, said the institution decided to keep memories alive through a tree-plantation drive at key locations affected by the tragedy, including the college, postmortem room, and hostel. “The 260 trees will be cared for by staff. Students and staff also collected over 300 units of blood in honor of the departed souls,” she said.
