DNA match confirms missing filmmaker’s death

Ahmedabad: The worst fears came true for filmmaker Mahesh Kalawadia's family. After nine excruciating days since the crash on June 12 when he went missing, his kin finally got the news they did not want to hear. On Friday, his body was identified through a DNA match, and later his mortal remains handed over to his wife, Hetal, by Naroda police.

Mahesh, also known as Mahesh Jirawala, was neither a passenger nor inside the hostel that the plane crashed into, but he disappeared shortly after the crash. At 1.14pm that afternoon, he had called Hetal, informing her that his meeting near Law Garden was over and that he was on his way home. Then there was radio silence. Hetal tried reaching him on his phone numerous times when he did not return home, but his phone remained switched off.

His phone's last location was found only 700m from the crash site — an area he was not known to use. His scooter and phone were also missing. The timing raised fears that he may have been one of the ground victims. Hetal filed a missing complaint the next day. The family then submitted DNA samples to aid in identification. On Friday, police confirmed a match between the DNA from an unidentified body and a relative of Mahesh.

PI PV Gohil of Naroda police stated that formal identification was completed through forensic tests. Mahesh was one of the 29 people on ground who died when the Air India flight crashed into a medical college premises after take-off.