Marble trader's kids, family of five, among 11 passengers from Rajasthan on crashed aeroplane

Jaipur, Jun 12 (PTI) At least 11 Rajasthan natives, four from Udaipur and five of a family from Banswara district, were among those onboard the Air India flight that crashed shortly after takeoff from the Ahmedabad airport on Thursday, officials said.

The London-bound aircraft with 242 passengers and crew crashed around 1.40 pm, just two minutes after takeoff, near the airport boundary wall.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma said that so far, information has been received about 11 passengers from the state onboard the ill-fated plane. They were residents of Udaipur, Banswara, Bikaner and Balotra districts.

According to an official statement, Sharma spoke to the families of the deceased over the phone and consoled them. At the same time, the district administration is in constant touch with the families of these individuals and is providing them with all possible assistance.

Among the passengers were Shubh and Shagun Modi, the son and daughter of marble businessman Sanjeev Modi from Udaipur. The MBA graduates, involved in their father's business, were travelling to London for leisure, officials said.

District Collector Namit Mehta visited the family's house in Saheli Nagar to meet them.

"Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma has spoken to the family of the victims and assured them all possible assistance," Mehta told reporters.

Another passenger, Vardichand Menaria, a native of Rundeda village in Vallabhnagar, Udaipur district, was also on board. He had recently returned from London and was travelling back along with his associate Prakash Menaria of Rohida village. Both worked in the culinary sector in the UK.

Khushboo Rajpurohit, a woman from Araba in Barmer district, was one of the passengers on the ill-fated flight.

Dr. Kaumi Vyas, her husband Pratik Joshi and their three children -- Miraya Joshi, Pradyut Joshi, Nakul Joshi -- of Banswara were also in the plane.

Pradyut and Nakul were twins. Kaumi Vyas, who worked at a private hospital, shared a picture on social media of the family as they sat on the plane - the couple smiling and the three children in the frame behind sitting in another row, facing the camera.

In the wake of the crash, the Rajasthan BJP postponed all its programmes and meetings till further notice.

The ministers were slated to visit all state districts over three days from today and publicise the 11 years' work of the Narendra Modi government.

Sharma, who expressed grief at the deaths, deferred a programme to be held in Banswara on Friday under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Rural).

"The news of the Air India flight crash in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, is extremely sad and worrying. I pray to God for the well-being and safety of all the passengers and crew members in this unfortunate incident," he said.

Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully posted on X, "The news of Air India plane crashing after hitting a wall during takeoff in Ahmedabad is extremely worrying and sad. I pray to God that all the 242 passengers and airline staff on board the plane are completely safe and sound." Former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, who was attending a public meeting in Pratapgarh when the news broke, cancelled the event.

"Thousands who had gathered prayed for the souls of those who lost their lives and the recovery of the injured. We cancelled the ongoing event and all future programmes in Pratapgarh and Banswara," he said.

Speaker of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly Vasudev Devnani offered his prayers for the departed and strength to the grieving families. PTI AG RHL