Two days after the catastrophic crash of Air India flight AI-171 in Ahmedabad, the process of identifying and handing over the remains of the 265 victims remains underway at the Civil Hospital. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has called for “accountability and transparency”, demanding the “Centre provide clear answers on the causes and lapses leading to the tragedy”.
“The government must give compensation to kin of plane crash victims and fix accountability," he added.Among the deceased is former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. His wife and son have reached Gandhinagar and are awaiting the DNA confirmation before his body is formally handed over.
Like many families, they are navigating the wait as DNA testing remains the only way to identify severely charred remains. A team from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrived at the crash site and has formally proposed to the Gujarat government that it join the investigation.
With 17 central and state agencies already involved, the probe is expanding as authorities seek to determine whether sabotage, technical failure, or systemic lapses played a role. While the NIA has not yet been officially assigned investigative charge, their interest signals the gravity of the incident.
On Saturday, rescue teams recovered another body -- believed to be that of a female crew member -- from the aircraft's tail section. A strong stench near the debris led to the discovery, and the body was retrieved by cutting through wreckage.
It was immediately sent for postmortem and identification. Sources suggest it is the body of a female cabin crew member who was previously unaccounted for. Civil Hospital authorities confirm they have received 265 bodies, many of which are severely burned and unrecognizable.
DNA matching is being conducted on a war footing to ensure remains are handed over to the right families. Officials say the process may take several more days.Meanwhile, speculation about the cause of the crash continues.
Saligram J. Muralidhar, former Deputy Director of National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), has suggested that fuel adulteration could have played a role. “If the fuel was adulterated, it may not have provided the thrust required for stable takeoff.
That could have led to the aircraft stalling or failing mid-air,” Muralidhar said, while cautioning that only a formal investigation can confirm this.