Ahmedabad Air Crash Claims Life of Payal, First Khatik Girl from Rajasthan's Gogunda Village to Study Abroad

Udaipur- Payal Khatik, a 24-year-old nursing graduate from Udaipur district's Gogunda, was supposed to be the pride of her community—the first girl from her village to fly abroad for higher studies. She had earned admission to pursue an M.Sc degree in London. But fate had other plans. On Thursday, the Air India flight she boarded to London crashed shortly after takeoff in Ahmedabad, killing all on board and leaving her family shattered.

Payal’s father, Suresh Khatik, a rickshaw driver in Himmatnagar, and his wife had dropped their daughter at the airport with dreams in eyes. Minutes later, they received the devastating news—their daughter’s flight had crashed. They rushed to the hospital hoping and praying for her safety but their daughter had left them for ever.

Back in Gogunda, Payal’s grandmother, Sosar Bai, still doesn’t know her beloved granddaughter is gone. Neighbors, unable to break the news, tiptoe around her home, whispering in sorrow.

Sosar Bai has three sons Jagdish, Suresh and Kailash, all three settled in Gujarat for their livelihoods. Jagdish lives in Surat while the other two sons reside in Himmat Nagar. Suresh had two daughters, Payal and Komal and a son Shubraj, a student of grade 11.

Payal had completed a degree in Nursing from a college at Dabok in Udaipur. She recently quit her job to focus on her MSc in Nursing in London—a dream she nurtured while tutoring children after work. "She was hardworking, ambitious," a neighbor said, choking back tears. "She wanted to make her family proud."

Her journey was historic, no one from Gogunda’s Khatik community (a Dalit sub-caste) had ever gone abroad for studies. The Khatik community, with around 200 families, had long struggled with financial constraints, making foreign education an unattainable dream, until Payal broke the barrier. Her success had filled the village with pride; now, it is shrouded in grief.

Meanwhile, at Ahmedabad, the process of identifying victims from the tragic Air India Flight AI-171 crash continues at the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, where bodies are being brought in for post-mortem examinations. As of now, five bodies have been identified and respectfully handed over to their families. These include two victims from Rajasthan, two from Bhavnagar, and one from Madhya Pradesh.

Civil Hospital officials confirmed that DNA samples have been collected from 192 families so far. To support the identification process, a large team of 70 to 80 doctors, including those from PHCs (Primary Health Centres) and CHCs (Community Health Centres) across Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Anand, and Nadiad, has been working around the clock in the post-mortem room since Thursday. The state government has set up a dedicated facility at the Kasoti Bhavan on the ground floor of B.J. Medical College for collecting DNA samples. Health Principal Secretary Dhananjay Dwivedi stated that samples, mainly from immediate family members like parents or children, are being sent for matching. The process is expected to take at least three days. To assist grieving families, the police and hospital staff are providing emotional support and ensuring that all formalities are handled with dignity and care.

As the process of identification continues, officials have confirmed that over 250 post-mortem examinations have already been completed. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at the city’s Civil Hospital to meet those injured in the tragic incident and to express his condolences to the families of the deceased. At the hospital, PM Modi was received by Civil Hospital Superintendent Dr Rakesh Joshi, who provided a detailed briefing on the condition of the injured and the medical response underway. The Prime Minister also met with Ramesh Vishwas, the sole survivor of the crash, and other patients receiving treatment. He offered words of encouragement and support, assuring them of the government's full assistance during this difficult time. PM Modi spent time with grieving families, conveying his heartfelt condolences and standing in solidarity with them amid their profound loss.

(With inputs of Ahmedabad hospital details from IANS)