New Delhi:
The death of Gujarati filmmaker Mahesh Kalavadia, also known as Mahesh Jirawala, has been officially confirmed following the tragic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad on June 12. The confirmation came after DNA test results matched his family’s samples.
Earlier, Mahesh Jirawala’s wife had shared that his mobile phone’s last known location was about 700 meters from the crash site.
Based on this, she feared he was among the victims and had submitted DNA samples for verification.
“According to the last location of his phone, the filmmaker was present at a distance of 700 meters from the accident site,” she said. She had assumed that he had died in the crash.
A burnt Activa scooter belonging to Jirawala was recovered from the site, raising suspicion that he may have been struck by the crashing aircraft.
His phone was later found at the site in a switched-off state, which further supported the possibility that he was among the casualties.
DNA test results eventually confirmed his death. Initially, the family refused to accept the body, holding out hope that he might have survived. “They were not ready to believe his death,” sources said.
However, once police presented key evidence, including the chassis number of the Activa scooter and the DNA, the family broke down and accepted the truth.
Mahesh Jirawala was a resident of Naroda in Ahmedabad and was known for directing Gujarati music videos and projects related to AIDS awareness.
He was the CEO of Mahesh Jirawala Productions and had directed a Gujarati film in 2019. He is survived by his wife, Hetal, and their two children, a daughter and a son.
According to official data, a total of 231 DNA identifications have been completed in the Ahmedabad crash so far, and 210 bodies have been handed over to the families. The victims include 155 Indians, 36 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals, one Canadian citizen, and nine local residents.
The Air India flight, which was flying from Ahmedabad to London, crashed into the B J Medical Hostel in Shahibaug on June 12. Over 279 people were killed in the incident.
(With inputs from Mahendra Prasad)