• Source:JND
Add as a preferred

Gujarat former Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Vijay Rupani, was among the 241 people killed in the tragic Air India plane crash which took place in Ahmedabad on Thursday, June 12. In an ironic twist, he passed away on June 12 (12-06), a number he reportedly considered lucky. It's said that all his vehicles bore this number on their license plates. 

ALSO READ: Vijay Rupani, Former Gujarat Chief Minister, Dies In Ahmedabad Plane Crash | All You Need To Know About BJP Leader

Rupani reportedly shared a deep personal connection with the number 1206. All his vehicles bore registration plates ending in 1206. On the ill-fated London-bound flight, his seat number was 12, and his boarding time was 12:10 PM, further underscoring his strong affinity with the number 12.

But fate had a cruel sense of irony. On June 12, 12/06, the number that had followed him for decades marked the day his journey came to an end. Rupani was aboard the Air India flight that crashed just moments after takeoff from Ahmedabad. He was on his way to London to reunite with his wife and daughter. He never made it.

The former Chief Minister, who was overseeing the BJP’s affairs in Punjab, had postponed his UK trip from June 5 to June 12 due to the Ludhiana West bypoll scheduled for June 19, said Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar.

"This is very unfortunate. This is how destiny and fate play out that he came into harm's way. He was to leave along with his wife on June 5, but rescheduled his visit to campaign for Ludhiana West bypoll," Jakhar told TOI.

BJP leader C.R. Patil confirmed the tragic news and expressed deep sorrow over the loss of the stalwart leader. As the news of his passing spread, top BJP leaders rushed to his residence to offer their condolences and support to the grieving family.

Leaders from across the political spectrum expressed their condolences and paid tribute to Rupani. Authorities involved in the rescue and relief operations later confirmed that he was among the deceased.

His nephew Mehul Rupani said, "The family is devastated to know about the sad demise of uncle. Anjali aunty (Rupani's wife) and her daughter are returning from London, as are other relatives from the US. We will follow the processes as advised by the government to take custody of his mortal remains. The family is in shock."

ALSO READ: 'Irreparable Loss': BJP MP Sambit Patra, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Others Express Grief Over Vijay Rupani's Death In Air India Crash

Shailesh Mandaliya, personal assistant to Rupani, said, “Just minutes after dropping him off at the airport, we heard the news.”

Rupani was born on August 2, 1956, in Yangon, Myanmar, into a Jain family as the youngest of seven children. In 1960, his family relocated to Rajkot, India, following political unrest in Myanmar.