AHMEDABAD: Viswashkumar Ramesh, the lone survivor of the recent Air India 171 plane crash in which all the other 241 people on board were killed, performed the last rites of his younger brother Ajay at their ancestral Bucharwada village in the Diu Union territory. Life's irony and agony were writ large on Viswash's bandaged face as he, whose survival left the world awestruck, processed the death of his younger brother seated in the same row on the ill-fated flight.
Viswash, a 40-year-old businessman from Leicester, was seated in seat 11A while Ajay occupied seat number 11J. By a miracle that reiterated belief in Providence, Viswash was the only passenger to walk out alive from the crash site, even as his brother was burnt to death in the plane inferno. The video of him stumbling out of residential hostel gates, even as fire raged behind him, went viral internationally since June 12.
Villagers present at the cremation ceremony said that Viswash shouldered his brother's bier on his final journey and broke down multiple times. Viswash's father, Ramesh Bhalia, lit Ajay's pyre, even though the whole family remained present in grief, bidding farewell to the departed soul.
"Viswash, along with the father, broke down multiple times during the final rites. Rameshbhai had four sons. Even as the family could not thank God enough for Viswash's miraculous survival, they were heartbroken at losing Ajay," said a relative of the Bhalia family. "Despite his own grief, he was seen comforting other relatives at the cremation," the relative added.
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Body of Kuki flight attendant from Manipur to land in Nagaland, take detour around Meitei areasA family member, Dhiru Soma, said that Viswash is deeply shaken and has not been able to accept the loss. "He is not relieved to have survived. He feels more pain over his brother's death," he said.
"Viswash, including his parents and two brothers, travelled to Gujarat after the crash. His entire family was present in the funeral procession, which was taken out from Patelwadi to Koli Samaj crematorium," sarpanch Dipak Devjibai said.
Before leaving the hospital, Viswash was questioned by a team from the city crime branch about the crash and his experience during the incident. Officials are looking into survivor accounts as part of the investigation.
According to a family source, many relatives and community members wore white caps during the condolence gathering. The family belongs to the Koli Patel community. Prayers were offered for the departed, and they expressed gratitude for Viswash's survival.
Relatives said that Viswash is under extreme mental stress and is struggling to speak or express himself. The family continues to support him as he deals with the emotional aftermath of the crash.
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