00:16it has been more than a year since air India flight 171 crashed into these
00:21buildings within seconds of takeoff killing 241 passengers on board and
00:26several others who are having lunch inside these buildings for grieving
00:31families the incident that caused them loss pain and trauma continues to haunt
00:36them
00:47it is a sweltering Friday morning in Ahmedabad the Sun is already blistering
00:52though the day has barely begun Krishna Ben calls out to her son a pack of dogs
00:58around her eagerly waiting for their morning meal Krishna Ben suffered minor
01:03burn injuries in the air India 171 flight crash she took nearly two months to
01:09recover while the wounds have healed the trauma remains
01:13it oh oh for a minute about that it is open to look up at it in a to pop
01:19the
01:20practice go for for a to gel guy gel guy me so you part day to Tomira would die
01:26at Parker care who checker the adora paga yeah connect our way that but I made up
01:34for the Allah to go inside she lives near the crash site and every aircraft
01:39hovering overhead brings back vivid memories of that tragic day her son
01:45Nirav Mohan bhai plays affectionately with the dogs who respond with equal joy
01:49their bond has grown even stronger since air India flight crashed into the hostel
01:54buildings of BJ Medical College in Ahmedabad's Meghni Nagar locality these
01:59dogs have long been cared for by local animal lovers living in and around the
02:04buildings are may animals lovers so a job plan crash over 12 June course a
02:13Mary bought a lot of love a case is three a story of a jury whoo yeah it's
02:19may it has her carry a job compound a career by Jume a to walk which you may
02:25oh donna wager a bejubanko Paxi ko Dalek a guy a puttepo dude a plan a guy a the
02:31The plane crash tragedy extended beyond human lives.
02:34Many birds and animals that ventured from the nearby forest also became casualties.
02:40Just a few hundred meters away is the multi-story building where many families lost their dear
02:45ones.
02:46Akash's family is one of them.
02:49Seetaben Patni, Akash's mother, is still recovering from the trauma, grief and physical
02:54injuries she sustained while trying to save her son.
02:57A part of the crashing aircraft struck Akash, engulfing him in flames and killing him.
03:04Today, Akash lives on in the memories of his family.
03:08Inside their single-room apartment, his life-size cut-out picture occupies a place beside a small
03:15temple-like corner where prayers are offered for him every day.
03:19The family shares the rest of the tiny space in the single-room apartment while a corner
03:24is symbolically kept for Akash, ensuring his presence continues to be felt in their home.
03:30Akash's mother hasn't yet come to terms with her loss as she continues to wail and cry.
03:36Her only wish is to see her son once again.
03:49Akash's elder sister, Neelam, recalls the last moments she spent with him.
03:53He had come to collect the lunch box she had prepared for their mother.
03:57He was eating an ice cream when she saw him last.
04:00She had asked him for a bite, but he playfully refused his what she remembers.
04:04The memory now brings both a smile and immense pain.
04:08She was especially close to Akash as the two of them lived together while the other siblings
04:13had families of their own.
04:15Akash's father, Suresh Bhai Patni, hopes that Akash's sister, Neelam, can be given
04:20a job so that his son's death may at least bring some financial relief to the family.
04:25So far, the family has received Rs. 6 lakh in compensation, of which more than Rs. 2 lakh
04:30has been spent on Sita Bain's treatment.
04:33She still requires plastic surgery, an expense the family cannot afford.
04:39Akash was hit by a part in flames and his mother suffered severe burn injuries when she
04:43saw her son in flames and tried to save him.
04:46She learned about her son's death after 23 days of the crash.
04:50Among those who witnessed the tragedy first-hand was Vijay Bhai Patni.
04:54He was having tea and snacks opposite to the compound when the aircraft crashed.
04:59From where he stood, he saw Akash and his injured mother and began recording on his mobile phone.
05:05It was Vijay's camera that captured the lone survivor emerging from the flames before being rushed
05:11to the hospital.
05:12Buildings in a row had been reduced to charred walls within seconds.
05:17For Vijay, the compound was a workplace where he would wash cars as many doctors and medical
05:22staff lived in the residential quarters.
05:24As towering flames engulfed buildings moments after the crash, he said he could think of nothing
05:30except taking out his phone and recording what was happening.
05:55It was one of the most difficult operations for emergency responders and medical teams who
06:01had to save lives as well as ensure they could retrieve the remains of those who had perished.
06:06The families wanted the remains of their deceased kin, while those who had been rescued from towering
06:12flames were to be saved.
06:13He picked up their remains of his man, one of the most difficult operations to protect their bodies.
06:27At the same time, we will
06:30just study our bodies with the same body as well.
06:49DNA sampling was a major task.
06:51Collecting samples from the debris took many days while the return of bodies to some families
06:56took weeks.
06:58One question that remains is what happened on that day?
07:02Every grieving family still awaits for the truth behind the crash.
07:06They also want to know whose fault made their families suffer.
07:14With Kalpin Trivedi and cameraman Manish Dodia, this is Bilal Bhatt for ETV Bharat from Ahmedabad.
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