Vijay Rupani's Remains Handed Over to Family, Funeral in Rajkot

Ahmedabad, June 16: The mortal remains of Vijay Rupani, former Chief Minister of Gujarat, were handed over to his family on Monday by the civil hospital authorities in Ahmedabad. He tragically lost his life in an Air India plane crash that occurred last week. The last rites will be performed in his hometown, Rajkot, on Monday evening following a funeral procession. Rupani, aged 68, served as Gujarat's chief minister from August 2016 to September 2021, playing a crucial role in guiding the state through its post-Covid recovery phase. He was among the unfortunate 242 passengers and crew members aboard the London-bound Air India flight AI-171 that crashed in Ahmedabad on June 12. Sadly, 241 individuals on the aircraft perished, with only one passenger surviving the disaster. Furthermore, 29 casualties were reported on the ground, including five MBBS students. Due to the remains being badly charred, identification was achieved only after DNA matching with his relatives on Sunday. Rupani's wife, Anjali Rupani, along with other family members, were present at the city civil hospital when his mortal remains were returned to them. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and several other ministers were also in attendance. His remains are scheduled to be flown to Rajkot, where they will proceed from Hirasar airport to his residence. The body will be available for the public to pay their respects for an hour. Later that evening, the funeral procession will be conducted. Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Jal Shakti Minister C R Paatil are also expected to visit Rupani's home to offer their respects.