Saineeta Chakravarti’s remains identified via DNA, handed over to kin

The mortal remains of Saineeta Chakravarti, one of the 10 cabin crew members aboard the ill-fated Air India Flight AI-171, were handed over to her family by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation in the early hours of Monday. The identity of Chakravarti, a Juhu Koliwada resident, was confirmed the previous night with the help of DNA testing.

A police sub-inspector was tasked with accompanying the family to ensure the safe transport of the remains to Mumbai. Air India also arranged a special flight for this purpose. In the aftermath of the Ahmedabad plane crash, DNA samples of 92 deceased individuals have been matched so far, and 47 bodies have been handed over to their respective families.

Saineeta Chakravarti, fondly known as Pinky, lived in Juhu Koliwada for over a decade  Pics/By Special arrangement

According to Dr Rajnish Patel, professor in the department of surgery at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, eight more bodies will soon be handed over. The 47 bodies returned so far include victims from the districts of Kheda, Ahmedabad, Botad, Mehsana, Bharuch, Aravalli, Vadodara, Junagadh, Anand, Mahisagar, Gandhinagar and Bhavnagar in Gujarat.

The forensic team

For the past four days, the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team has been working tirelessly on DNA profiling to quickly establish the identities of the deceased. The team achieved a record-breaking feat by identifying victims in less than 72 hours. Out of the 54-member DNA specialist team, 22 are women, all of whom have been dedicatedly engaged in the complex task of DNA profiling. 

Streamlined process

Acting as per the directives from the state government, the administration and the health department have accelerated the process of identifying the deceased and handing over their remains to their families. The highly sensitive task of DNA sample matching is being carried out with the utmost seriousness and efficiency, according to officials.

Mourners pay their respects to former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani in Ahmedabad yesterday. Pic/Nimesh Dave

To streamline this process, a comprehensive system has been established by the state health department and civil hospital administration, which includes everything from contacting the relatives to the actual handover of the bodies.

Arvind Vijay, managing director of Gujarat Informatics Limited and nodal officer at Civil Hospital, stated that a verification centre had been set up at Block D2 of the Civil Hospital. Once DNA reports are received, families are verified at this site. Following verification, the post-mortem room is notified to begin preparing the remains for handover.

While this process is underway, families are seated in a designated waiting area where they are supported by a counsellor, a medical team and a public relations officer (PRO). The relatives are thoroughly briefed about the procedure and legal documents that will be provided along with the remains.

Once the post-mortem room completes the necessary steps, the family is escorted by a PRO from Block D2 to receive the remains and legal documents — which include the death certificate, accidental death report, police investigation papers, post-mortem note and forensic report mentioning the DNA match — as well as any personal belongings or ornaments recovered.

A dedicated team also assists in transporting the body to the family’s residence. A special task force has been assigned by the health department and the Civil Hospital to manage each case from start to finish. This team includes a health worker, a senior officer, a police official, and a professional counsellor.

The Gujarat government has deployed 192 ambulances and 591 personnel — including doctors, assistants, and drivers — to ensure the smooth and respectful return of mortal remains. To further assist families, a help desk has been set up at Kasauti Bhavan, BJ Medical College, to coordinate with the control room and manage logistical arrangements.

Gujarat mourns former CM

The Gujarat government, meanwhile, accorded a solemn farewell to former Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, honouring his legacy. In the presence of incumbent Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, the mortal remains of the late leader were accorded a guard of honour in line with official protocol. The remains were then handed over to his family, including his wife and son, with full state honours.

At Civil Hospital, Patel was joined by Health Minister Rushikesh Patel, Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi, Cooperation Minister Jagdish Vishwakarma, Rajya Sabha MP Shri Mayank Nayak, and several political leaders, senior officials, and community representatives, who gathered to pay their respects. On June 12, the state was plunged into mourning following the tragic passing of Shri Vijay Rupani in the plane crash. His final rites will be performed in Rajkot.