Local Hero Rushes to Aid in Aftermath of AI 171 Crash in Gandhinagar

Gandhinagar: Thick smoke billowed into the sky above BJ Medical College on the afternoon of June 12, as flames engulfed the wreckage of AI 171, a jumbo jet that crashed just minutes earlier. Amid the chaos and screams, 56-year-old Raju Patel, a local construction businessman, sprang into action without hesitation.

Patel, who was working nearby, immediately rushed to the crash site with his team, reaching the scene within five minutes of the impact. “For the first 15 to 20 minutes, we could barely get close. The fire was too intense,” he recounted. “But once the fire brigade and 108 ambulances arrived, we jumped in to help.”

With no medical stretchers available, Patel and his crew improvised, using sarees and bedsheets to transport the injured to safety. Authorities allowed the team to remain at the site until 9 PM, assisting wherever they could.

Once emergency services took charge, Patel’s team turned to recovering valuable belongings from the debris. Among the wreckage, they found over 70 tolas (800 grams) of gold jewelry, ₹80,000 in cash, passports, and even a copy of the Bhagavad Gita. All recovered items were promptly handed over to the police.

Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi confirmed on Sunday that all salvaged personal belongings are being catalogued and will be returned to the victims’ families.

“I’m just grateful we could do something,” said Patel, who has a history of volunteering during crises, including the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts. “I was just 100 meters from the civil hospital when a bomb went off. But the destruction here… the flames… I will never forget this,” he added.

Patel’s selfless actions in the face of tragedy have earned him widespread admiration, highlighting the vital role of citizen responders during disasters.