Ahmedabad, June 21, 2025 – The devastating Air India plane crash that occurred last week in Ahmedabad has claimed the life of a local filmmaker, Mahesh Kalavadiya, also known as Jirawala. His identity was officially confirmed through DNA testing, and his remains have been handed over to his grieving family.
💔 Gujarati filmmaker Mahesh Jirawala has been confirmed among the victims of the tragic AI-171 crash near Ahmedabad. A visionary lost, a family shattered, and a cinema community in mourning. Our thoughts are with his loved ones. 🕊️ #AI171Crash #gujaraticinema pic.twitter.com/U5GggT0gTW
— POTO TV (@poto_tv) June 21, 2025
According to police, Jirawala, 34, was on his two-wheeler and happened to be passing through the Meghaninagar area when the London-bound aircraft lost control and crashed into a hostel complex, moments after taking off from Ahmedabad’s international airport. Tragically, he was among the 29 people who lost their lives on the ground, alongside 241 passengers on the plane—bringing the death toll to 270, making it one of the deadliest aviation disasters in India’s history.
Family in Disbelief Until DNA Confirmation
Joint Commissioner of Police (Sector 2), Jaipalsinh Rathore, stated that Jirawala’s body was severely burnt, making visual identification impossible. DNA samples were matched with those provided by his family. Still, his loved ones found it hard to accept the grim reality.
“To clear his family’s doubts, we collected CCTV footage of the area and recovered his burnt scooter from the scene. The engine and chassis numbers matched the registration documents. His mobile phone’s last location also confirmed he was near the crash site,” said Rathore.
A Promising Filmmaker Gone Too Soon
Jirawala, who resided in Ahmedabad’s Naroda locality, was a budding filmmaker and used to direct music albums. His wife, Hetal, recounted that on the day of the crash, he had gone to meet someone at the Law Garden area. At 1:14 PM, he called her, saying the meeting was over and he was returning home. But when he didn’t arrive, and his phone was unreachable, panic set in.
His final mobile location placed him just 700 meters away from the crash site. As hours passed without any word, hope faded. Eventually, the family submitted DNA samples for verification.
“I never believed my husband would take that route. He never did before. I still can’t believe this has happened,” Hetal shared, heartbroken.
A Systematic Identification Effort
Due to the severity of the crash and the intense fire, many bodies were burnt beyond recognition. Authorities have been working tirelessly to identify victims through DNA profiling, a task made even more difficult by the scale of the destruction.
FAQs About the Ahmedabad Plane Crash Tragedy
Q1: How many people died in the Ahmedabad plane crash?
A total of 270 people lost their lives, including 241 onboard and 29 on the ground.
Q2: Who was Jirawala and what was his profession?
Jirawala, also known as Mahesh Kalavadiya, was a 34-year-old filmmaker from Ahmedabad who directed music albums.
Q3: How was Jirawala’s identity confirmed?
His identity was confirmed through DNA testing, along with supporting evidence like CCTV footage and his burnt scooter’s identification numbers.
Q4: What steps did police take to convince the family?
Police collected CCTV footage, matched the engine and chassis number of his destroyed scooter, and traced his last mobile location near the crash site.
Q5: Why was DNA testing necessary for crash victims?
Due to the extreme fire and impact, many bodies were unrecognizable, making DNA testing essential for accurate identification.