AHMEDABAD, June 14, 2025 (Updated 9:54 AM IST)
Aakash was just 13 years old. He neither boarded the flight nor was sitting on the rooftop where the aircraft crashed. Yet, the way his life ended will bring tears to anyone’s eyes.
Outside Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, a girl was crying so loudly that everyone standing nearby froze. She had no family member on Air India Flight AI‑171, and none of her relatives were in the BJ Medical College hostel mess where the aircraft crashed.
Yet, she lost her 13-year-old brother, Aakash, in the disaster. She kept repeating — “I don’t even understand how this happened.”
Burned to Ashes — No Body Left to Mourn
Kalpesh Patni, Aakash’s elder brother, was weeping uncontrollably outside the post-mortem house. “We couldn’t even find a piece of his body,” he cried.
The plane crashed and turned Aakash into ash. His remains were so badly burned that identification was impossible. The only hope now is through DNA samples.
Homeless, Sleeping on a Footpath — Death Came Unexpected
Aakash didn’t have an Air India ticket. He had never even lived in an apartment in his short life. Just two weeks ago, his family was evicted by the landlord and had been sleeping on the footpath near their tea stall in the Meghaninagar area.
When the Air India aircraft crashed onto the BJ Medical College hostel, Aakash, asleep on the pavement, was among those killed.
24 Others Perished Where the Plane Fell
The crash occurred just 33 seconds after takeoff. At least 24 people in and around the building were killed on the spot. Aakash was one of them. By midnight on Thursday, the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital had received nearly 265 bodies, including passengers and bystanders.
Air India confirmed that all 241 people onboard the flight had died, and the crash site had claimed even more lives due to the wreckage and fire spread.
Among the dead were 4 medical students and the wife of a doctor. Aakash, who was sleeping nearby, was incinerated by the blast.
“My Kanha Burned in Front of My Eyes”
The Air India Dreamliner crashed into the hostel building, spreading fire, debris, and jet fuel across the area. The heat from the crash surged past 700°C, igniting everything in its path. Aakash was caught in the inferno.
His grandmother, Babiben Patni, sobbed to The Indian Express:
“My Kanha… My little Krishna burned right in front of my eyes.”
Kanha (or Kanhaiya) is a loving name for Lord Krishna, often used to affectionately address small children. She repeated in agony, “Please return my child to me. Life without him will be unbearable.”
Mother Burned Trying to Save Her Son
When Aakash began screaming, his mother, Sita Suresh Patni, ran toward the flames to save him. She tried to put out the fire, but she too was badly burned. Despite her efforts, she couldn’t save her son.
Outside the hospital, Aakash’s father Suresh waited to provide his blood sample for the DNA matching process so they could identify what little remained of his child.
This Is Not Just a Plane Crash, It’s a Human Tragedy
Aakash didn’t choose to be on that flight. He didn’t walk into danger. He was simply sleeping on a pavement, homeless with his family, and still paid the ultimate price.
The Ahmedabad crash is more than a headline — it’s the story of families like Aakash’s, whose pain will echo long after the news cycle ends.
