A large number of family friends, supporters, BJP party workers, officials including Union Home Minister Amit Shah ,Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel and others were in attendance during cremation ceremony of former Chief Minister of Gujarat and deceased Vijay Rupani in Rajkot on Monday here. A sombre atmosphere prevailed outside his residence where mortal remains were placed for last Darshan. Emotionally charged Shah who fondly remembered him as Son of Gujarat, added that his loss is irreparable.
The state had a day of mourning to commemorate the veteran leader who unfortunately passed away in the Air India Flight 171 accident on June 12. The last rites were conducted with full state honours with an overwhelming expression of grief by citizens and political leaders alike.
The mortal remains of the late Vijay Rupani were taken to Ahmedabad Civil Hospital at the start of the day, where his family received the body in a formal ceremony. By midday, the remains were flown to his hometown of Rajkot and remained at his home to offer his condolences to the bereaved family. There was a constant stream of supporters, workers from his party, and members of the local population to pay respects to the late BJP veteran.
The state government had announced June 16 to variously be one-day of mourning, when different government activities and functions were suspended and the national flag was flown at half mast on various government buildings in the state as a sign of respect.
The funeral possession began late in the afternoon, with the coffin being escorted through the city streets in a flower-decked vehicle. Thousands of people lined the route, carrying placards and pictures of Rupani to bid farewell to him. The route was protected with police deployment and diversion of traffic on major roads, such as Greenland Chokdi and Kuvadwa Road, for the procession.
Amit Shah arrived in Rajkot at approximately 3 PM and paid his condolences to the family of Rupani, who received him at his residence. He later participated in the cremation ceremony conducted at the Ramnathpara crematorium at 5 PM. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, BJP Gujarat President C.R. Paatil, and Union Jal Shakti Minister attended the last respects.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier visited the bereaved family, fondly remembering him as a humble and hardworking individual who was deeply committed to the BJP’s ideology.
Vijay Rupani, was has served the 16th Chief Minister of Gujarat from 2016 until 2021, was one of the distinguised member of the BJP’s state leadership. His ultimate demise in the tragic incident has left a deep void in Gujarat politics.
The state bid farewell to one of its most respectable leaders with full state honours. Vijay Rupani’s legacy as a people’s chief minister will continue to reverberate in state political souvenir.
Ahmedabad AI 171 Plane Crash Tragedy- News and Updates
The journey turned into a nightmare when an Air India flight caught fire and crashed in the Meghaninagar area near Ahmedabad airport on 12 June,2025.The plane caught fire after crashing and fire tenders were rushed to the spot to douse the blaze.An Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner carrying 242 people crashed immediately after taking off from Ahmedabad airport. The flight was going to London. There were 232 passengers and 10 crew, according to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) . A video of the aircraft flying low and struggling to gain altitude shows the plane slamming the ground and exploding in a massive ball of fire at 1.38 pm. The flight was identified as Air India 171, which online flight trackers showed as a 1:10 pm service from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad to Gatwick Airport in London.
Ahmedabad Plane Crash Tragic Incident
In Gujarat, at least 265 people were killed on Thursday when a London-bound Air India plane carrying 242 passengers and crew crashed into a medical college complex in Ahmedabad and burst into a ball of fire less than a minute after takeoff.The dead in the country’s worst air disaster in recent times included several people on the ground. While one passenger identified as Vishwash Kumar Ramesh survived the crash near the airport involving the Boeing 787 Dreamliner(AI 171), BJP leader C R Paatil said former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was among the dead.”265 bodies have reached the city civil hospital as per the message we received,” Deputy Commissioner of Police Kanan Desai told reporters late in the night several hours after the twin-engine wide-body aircraft crashed in the city civil hospital and BJ Medical College outside the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport perimeter. Several bodies were reported to be charred beyond recognition.
Four MBBS students and a doctor’s wife were among those killed, a senior official said. Several students were impacted after parts of the plane smashed into a dining hall at lunch time in the multi-storey hostel building. According to Air India, of the 230 passengers, 169 were Indians, 53 British, seven Portuguese and one Canadian. The other 12 people on board were two pilots and 10 crew members.Union minister Amit Shah told reporters that the temperature in the ill-fated plane was so high due to burning fuel that there was no chance to save anyone. “There was 1.25 lakh litres of fuel inside the plane and it caught heat so it was impossible to save anyone,” Shah said. “The number of those killed will be officially released by the authorities after DNA test and identification of the victims.” Shah described the crash of Air India Flight AI171 as a “national tragedy that has plunged the entire country into mourning” and expressing grief over the immense loss of life, assured families of the victims that the government will provide unwavering support during this time of sorrow.
Black Box of AI flight Recovered from wreckage
The black box of the Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which crashed minutes after takeoff from Gujarat’s Ahmedabad, was recovered from the wreckage of the Aircraft on 13 June’2025.The black box, technically known as the flight data recorder, is likely to play a crucial role in uncovering the cause of the disaster, as it contains important information regarding flight speed, altitude, engine performance and cockpit audio,including communications of the pilots and air traffic control.
DGCA orders enhanced safety audit of AI Dreamliners
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation directed Air India to carry out additional maintenance actions on Boeing aircraft. All planes under the Boeing 787-8/9 fleet of Air India will undergo an enhanced safety inspection starting Sunday, June 15, the regulator has announced.
Amit Shah,Top BJP Leaders Attend Funeral of Former CM Vijay Rupani in Rajkot
The mortal remains of the late Vijay Rupani were taken to Ahmedabad Civil Hospital at the start of the day, where his family received the body in a formal ceremony. By midday, the remains were flown to his hometown of Rajkot and remained at his home to offer his condolences to the bereaved family. There was a constant stream of supporters, workers from his party, and members of the local population to pay respects to the late BJP veteran.
A large number of family friends, supporters, BJP party workers, officials including Union Home Minister Amit Shah ,Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel and others were in attendance during cremation ceremony of former Chief Minister of Gujarat and deceased Vijay Rupani in Rajkot on Monday here. A sombre atmosphere prevailed outside his residence where mortal remains were placed for last Darshan. Emotionally charged Shah who fondly remembered him as Son of Gujarat, added that his loss is irreparable.
The last rites were conducted with full state honours with an overwhelming expression of grief by citizens and political leaders alike.The state government had announced June 16 to variously be one-day of mourning, when different government activities and functions were suspended and the national flag was flown at half mast on various government buildings in the state as a sign of respect.
The funeral possession began late in the afternoon , with the coffin being escorted through the city streets in a flower-decked vehicle. Thousands of people lined the route, carrying placards and pictures of Rupani to bid farewell to him.The route was protected with police deployment and diversion of traffic on major roads, such as Greenland Chokdi and Kuvadwa Road, for the procession.Amit Shah arrived in Rajkot at approximately 3 PM and paid his condolences to the family of Rupani, who received him at his residence. He later participated in the cremation ceremony conducted at the Ramnathpara crematorium at 5 PM. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, BJP Gujarat President C.R. Paatil, and Union Jal Shakti Minister attended the last respects.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier visited the bereaved family ,fondly remembering him as a humble and hardworking individual who was deeply committed to the BJP’s ideology.
AI likely to discontinue Flight No.AI 171 following Ahmedabad crash
In the wake of the devastating crash of Air India flight AI 171 near Ahmedabad airport that claimed 241 lives, the airline is likely to retire the flight number in an effort to ease the psychological distress associated with the tragedy.According to information available from official sources, the flight from Ahmedabad to Gatwick (London) will now operate under the new number AI 159, while the return leg will be renumbered as AI 160. “The change will start to reflect soon,” an airline official reportedly stated on condition of anonymity.The renumbering is expected to help future passengers dissociate the flight from the catastrophic event and offer a sense of closure.
Conclusion
Airlines often revise flight numbers in the aftermath of fatal accidents as part of standard protocol to support emotional healing and public confidence.Air India has yet to release an official public statement regarding the renumbering decision.
