Time has a cruel way of moving forward while leaving the human heart entirely behind. Exactly one year ago, the sky over Ahmedabad became the stage for a nightmare that would forever alter the landscape of Indian aviation and shatter hundreds of lives in a single, catastrophic moment.
NDTV explored the tragic fate of one of those 19 innocent bystanders on the ground. Mahesh Jirawala, a 34-year-old filmmaker from Ahmedabad, was not a passenger on the flight. He was simply passing along a road near the hostel when the aircraft crashed. Returning home on his Activa scooter after wrapping up work related to his film projects, Mahesh happened to be at the exact spot where the plane came down, causing his instantaneous death.
His family could never have imagined that Mahesh would lose his life in a plane crash. When his phone became unreachable and remained switched off until late that evening, his brother, Kartik, filed a missing person’s complaint at the local police station. The family was devastated when investigators revealed that Mahesh’s last active mobile tower location had been traced to the vicinity of the crash site.
Despite the horrifying discovery, the family refused to give up hope and launched a desperate search for Mahesh, reviewing CCTV footage from across the area. Ahmedabad Police faced an uphill task in solving the mystery of his disappearance, spending days scanning surveillance footage. The cameras showed Mahesh travelling along that route, but he appeared to vanish without a trace.
For eight agonising days, the family clung to a fading thread of hope until a heartbreaking call came from the hospital. DNA samples matched charred remains recovered from the wreckage, and authorities had also recovered his Activa. Mahesh’s identity was confirmed through DNA testing, as well as the matching registration and chassis numbers of his scooter, making the 34-year-old filmmaker the last victim to be identified.
Even today, his grieving mother and family struggle to accept that he is gone, holding on to the painful belief that he may still walk through the door one day. Speaking to NDTV, Kartik remembered his brother not only as a filmmaker but also as a dedicated social worker who organised numerous community welfare initiatives.
Recalling the ordeal, Kartik told NDTV, “We filed a missing person’s complaint at the local police station. We could never have imagined that my brother would die in a plane crash. We were shattered when his last mobile location was traced near the crash site. Humne socha bhi nahi tha ki wo us jagah par ho sakta hai (We had never even thought that he could be at that place).”
He added, “However, we were still hopeful. After eight days, we were told that the DNA samples matched. We were shocked and devastated. Once we saw that my brother’s Activa matched the registration and chassis numbers, it was over. Unka Activa dekh kar humara bacha-kucha hausla bhi toot gaya (Seeing his Activa, whatever courage we had left was completely broken). He was also a great social worker who organised many welfare camps for those in need.”
The tragedy is made even more painful by a trail of unfulfilled promises and a family left in a precarious financial situation. Mahesh had been married to his wife, Hetal, for just three months before the disaster claimed his life.
His 61-year-old father, Girdharbhai Jirawala, who previously worked polishing diamonds, broke down as he recalled a conversation with his son just two weeks before the crash, when he had suffered a severe heart attack.
Concerned about his father’s deteriorating health, Mahesh had urged him to retire and rest at home, making a heartfelt promise: “Papa, aap aaram karo. Diwali se pehle main hamara saara karz chuka dunga aur is kiraye ke makan se mukti dila kar hamara apna ghar khareedunga (Dad, you rest. Before Diwali, I will repay all our debts and free us from this rented house by buying our own home).”
Mahesh had pinned his hopes on earning a high income from his upcoming film projects, but fate had other plans.
Today, Girdharbhai says with tears in his eyes: “Aaj mere paas muavje ke paison mein se kuch nahi bacha hai, lekin main khush hoon ki mera beta mar kar bhi parivar ko sammaan se jeene ka sahara de gaya (Today, I have nothing left from the compensation money, but I am grateful that even in death, my son provided our family with the means to live with dignity).”
Due to his poor health, Girdharbhai is no longer able to work, leaving the family entirely dependent on the modest monthly income of Rs 20,000 earned by his younger son, Kartik.