After fulfilling his late wife Bharatiben’s final wish of immersing her ashes in the sacred Narmada River, Arjun Patolia, a UK father of two, tragically died in a plane crash while returning home. The Air India Flight AI-171, en route from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed shortly after takeoff, killing all 242 passengers, including Arjun. His daughters, aged four and eight, are now orphaned within just one week of losing both parents.
The tragedy has sparked widespread grief and outrage, especially after Air India announced compensation of ₹96 lakh (~$116,000) per family. Many online criticized the amount as inadequate and questioned the airline’s safety protocols and legal compliance under the Montreal Convention.
Among the victims was also Ajaykumar Ramesh, who was traveling with his brother Viswash. They were seated across the aisle; only Viswash survived. Injured and in shock, he kept asking rescuers to find his brother. Their family in Leicester is devastated, clinging to hope until it was confirmed Ajaykumar had died.
Eyewitnesses described horrific scenes as the fully fueled Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed into the Meghani Nagar area near Ahmedabad, setting off a massive fire. A Mayday distress call had been issued, but communication was lost soon after. World leaders including UK PM Keir Starmer and Indian PM Narendra Modi expressed their condolences, calling the disaster heartbreaking. Meanwhile, public anger grows over accountability, safety, and compensation.
