Ahmedabad, June 15(HS): Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani's body has been identified following an Air India plane crash. DNA matching confirmed his identity on Sunday, and his funeral is scheduled for 3 PM on Monday in Rajkot. The crash resulted in severe mutilation of the victims' bodies, complicating identification; thus, DNA samples from the deceased and their family members were utilized. Rupani's son provided a sample, leading to the positive identification of his father's body, which will be cremated with state honors in Rajkot.

BJP MLA Rita Patel announced the successful DNA test results. The remains will be sent to his family at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital and then transported to Rajkot via helicopter.

The plane, which crashed en route from Ahmedabad to London, had 242 people aboard, including Rupani, who was traveling to see his daughter. The death toll has tragically risen to 275, with DNA samples taken from 248 bodies, of which 31 have been identified and 20 handed over to families. Transport logistics involve 230 teams in contact with relatives, with 192 ambulances prepared. Relatives of 11 foreign victims are expected in Ahmedabad today. An order for 170 coffins has been placed, with around 100 already transported from Vadodara. The remaining coffins are in production.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar