Jaipur, June 12 (IANS) Five persons from Rajasthan are among the passengers in the ill-fated Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad which occurred on Thursday.

While four victims are from the Udaipur district, one is from Balotra district.

In light of the plane crash in Ahmedabad, the Rajasthan BJP unit has announced the postponement of all political rallies and programmes until further notice.

Victims from Rajasthan include Shubh and Shagun Modi, the children of renowned Udaipur marble businessman Sanjeev Modi, who were onboard the plane.

Both were MBA graduates and were managing the family business.

The third Rajasthan-based passenger was Vardichand Menaria, hailed from Rundeda (Vallabhnagar) and was currently residing in Udaipur’s Hiranmagri. He was also present in the flight.

Vardichand had returned from London a month ago and was now heading back with his colleague Prakash Menaria from Rohira village (near Uttarakhand), who was also a cook working in London.

Khushboo Rajpurohit, a young woman from Araba (Balotra in Rajasthan), was another confirmed passenger onboard the ill-fated Air India flight.

She got married on January 18 and was going to her husband Vipul Singh Rajpurohit, who is a doctor in London.

This was her first trip to London to meet her husband post wedding, Khushboo’s family members said.

Udaipur District Collector Namit Mehta confirmed the identities of the passengers from Udaipur, saying, “Two were from Udaipur city, one from Mawali, and one from Vallabhnagar. We are in touch with the families, and the administration stands with them.”

He personally visited the residence of Sanjeev Modi in Saheli Nagar to offer support.

Relatives, neighbours, and community members continue to gather at Sanjeev Modi’s residence.

The flight, en route to London, took off from Ahmedabad airport at 1:38 p.m. on Thursday but crashed just two minutes later, at 1:40 p.m, near the airports boundary wall and the air customs cargo office.

A massive plume of smoke was seen rising from the crash site, sending panic across the area.

Meanwhile, former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, while attending the ‘Save the Constitution’ Sabha in Pratapgarh, expressed deep sorrow, saying: “Upon hearing the news of the tragic crash, we immediately cancelled the rally. Thousands present joined in prayers for the departed souls and the injured. Our thoughts are with the families in this hour of grief.”

Gehlot also announced the cancellation of all scheduled programmes in Pratapgarh and Banswara.

–IANS

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