Ahmedabad: A man who came to India to perform his late wife’s final rites died in Ahmedabad plane crash on June 12. The victim, Arjun Manubhai Patoliya, had flown from London to Gujarat just days earlier, carrying the ashes of his wife, Bharatiben, who had passed away in UK a week ago.
Arjun was a resident of London but originally belonged to Wadia village in Gujarat’s Amreli district. Bharatiben’s last wish was to have her ashes immersed in her ancestral village. To fulfill this, Arjun left behind their two young daughters, aged 8 and 4, in London and came to India alone.
According to family members, he performed the religious rituals in Wadia as per Hindu customs. After completing the immersion of the ashes in a nearby river and pond, he boarded the ill-fated Air India flight from Ahmedabad, intending to return to his daughters. Tragically, he never made it back. The plane crashed shortly after take off, claiming his life along with several others.
Back in London, the two little girls were waiting for their father, unaware that they had already lost both parents in just one week. With no immediate family there to care for them, their future has become uncertain.
In Wadia village, where the ashes were immersed just a few days ago, shock and mourning have spread rapidly. Villagers who had stood by Arjun during the rituals are now struggling to accept the sudden loss. His elderly mother, who lives in Surat, is said to be in deep shock and unable to travel due to health issues. Arjuni’s father had passed away earlier.
