Amid the aftermath of the tragic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad on June 12, a new mystery has emerged: filmmaker Mahesh Kalawadia, also known as Mahesh Jirawala, has gone missing. While he was neither a passenger on the ill-fated flight nor a resident of the college hostel where the plane crashed, his last phone location was traced just 700 metres from the crash site.
Missing Hours After Crash: Last Call at 1:14 PM
According to his wife, Hetal Kalawadia, Mahesh had gone to meet someone in the Law Garden area on the afternoon of the crash. “He called me at 1:14 PM to say his meeting was over and he was heading home. But when he didn’t return, I tried calling him—his phone was switched off,” she said.
Police later traced his mobile location to within 700 metres of the crash site. The phone shut off around 1:40 PM, shortly after the plane went down. His scooter and mobile phone remain missing, and his family says the route his location indicates was unusual for his commute.
DNA Samples Submitted for Ground Victim Identification
Given the proximity and timing, the family has submitted Mahesh’s DNA samples for testing to determine if he may be one of the 29 ground victims who perished in the crash. “We are praying for a miracle, but have taken this step to be prepared for the worst,” said Hetal.
Air India Plane Crash: A National Tragedy
The Air India aircraft, which took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1:39 PM, crashed minutes later into the BJ Medical College premises in Meghaninagar, Ahmedabad. The accident claimed 241 of 242 lives on board, and 29 people on the ground also lost their lives, pushing the total death toll to 270.
Due to the intensity of the fire and impact, several bodies were charred beyond recognition, requiring DNA tests for identification. As of Sunday, 47 victims had been identified using DNA matching. The crash remains under investigation, with authorities exploring both mechanical and human error as possible causes.