Rajesh Patel, a 57-year-old resident of Ahmedabad, emerged as a symbol of selfless service in the aftermath of the tragic Air India plane crash on June 12. Patel, who lives just 300 metres from the crash site near BJ Medical College, rushed to the scene immediately after hearing the deafening explosion and witnessing a massive fireball engulf the sky.
Initially helping to carry injured passengers and bodies to ambulances, Patel returned to the crash site after the rescue work to retrieve belongings strewn across the wreckage. Amid the smouldering debris, he collected approximately 70 tolas of gold ornaments, Rs 50,000 in cash, a few US dollars, silver items, passports, and other personal effects from burnt handbags. All of these were handed over to the police.
“I rushed with an ambulance from a private hospital run by my relative. We couldn’t get close for the first 15–20 minutes due to the blaze,” said Patel, who works in construction. Lacking proper stretchers, Patel and fellow volunteers used sarees, bedsheets, and gunny sacks to transport the injured and deceased to ambulances.
Later, Patel and others shifted their focus to salvaging what remained of the passengers' belongings. Among the recovered items were 8 to 10 silver articles, a copy of the Bhagavad Gita, and documents such as passports. Patel is no stranger to crisis response. He had volunteered at the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital following the 2008 serial blasts, during which he lost two close friends in an explosion inside the hospital's trauma centre.
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Inspector DB Basiya from Meghaninagar police station said a special team is preparing a detailed inventory of valuables and luggage recovered from the site. Once the list is complete, coordination with Air India will begin to return items to the victims’ families after proper verification.
Gujarat Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi confirmed via social media on June 16 that every recovered item would be returned. He shared a video showing the family of crash victim Veenaben Agheda receiving gold jewellery recovered from her body, praising the police for their honest and diligent work.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner had 242 people on board when it took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1:39 PM. It tragically crashed moments later into the BJ Medical College complex. Of those on board, 241 lost their lives, with only one surviving. Additionally, 29 people on the ground perished, including five MBBS students.
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