Body of Kerala nurse in Ahmedabad air crash identified, funeral tomorrow

IANS June 23, 2025 428 views

The body of Kerala nurse Renjitha Gopakumar, who died in the Ahmedabad air crash, has finally been identified through DNA matching. Her brother had been waiting in Ahmedabad since the tragedy to track her remains. The funeral will be held at her partially completed home in Kerala, where she had planned a housewarming. Renjitha, who worked in London, had returned for a short visit before the tragic crash.

"It was on Monday that the news came that her mother’s sample had matched." – IANS
Pathanamthitta, June 23: The wait for the grieving family of Kerala nurse Renjitha Gopakumar, who was one of the passengers on the Air India flight AI 171 which crashed soon after takeoff from the Ahmedabad airport on June 12, is over and her body was identified on Monday by the DNA sample matching and it will arrive here on Tuesday.

Key Points

1

Renjitha Gopakumar was a passenger on the crashed Air India flight

2

Her body was identified after DNA matched her mother's sample

3

Funeral to be held at her partially built home in Kerala

4

She had returned from London for a brief holiday

Soon after the tragedy took place and the news spread that Renjitha was on board, her brother Ratheesh Gopakumar reached Ahmedabad on June 13 and has been there since then to track her mortal remains.

His sample was taken, but it failed to match, and then the sample of her mother was taken.

It was on Monday that the news came that her mother’s sample had matched, and Ratheesh Gopakumar is now waiting to collect the body, which will be flown from Ahmadabad on Tuesday morning to Thiruvananthapuram.

Meanwhile, arrangements are now being made at the school where Gopakumar studied near here, as the people in her hometown have decided to keep the body for the public to pay their last respects.

In the late afternoon, it would be taken to her home from the school, and soon thereafter, it would be consigned to flames.

Gopakumar has been employed in London for less than a year, and she had reached her home town for a brief holiday, early this month.

Prior to working in London, she was in the Middle East.

She had taken a long leave from the government health service and had come to see when she could rejoin it.

Moreover, she was building her new home and was planning to have the housewarming function on June 28. Tragically, now on Tuesday, it will be her body will be kept in her partially completed new home for the last time.

Renjitha has two young children who were studying here after she moved to London last year.

Reader Comments

P
Priya K.
This is so heartbreaking 💔 A young mother with dreams of building her home, only to meet such a tragic end. My deepest condolences to the family. The pain must be unbearable, especially for her children. May her soul rest in peace.
R
Rahul M.
The government should provide proper compensation and support to the family, especially for the children's education. Nurses like Renjitha who serve abroad contribute so much to our economy through remittances. This is the least we can do.
S
Sunita P.
So tragic that she was building her dream home and planning housewarming... only for it to become her final resting place. Life is so unpredictable. My heart goes out to the family. 🙏
V
Vikram S.
The DNA matching process took too long - 11 days is unacceptable for grieving families. Aviation authorities need better disaster response protocols. That said, may the departed soul find peace and strength to the family.
A
Anjali N.
As a nurse myself, I know how hard our healthcare workers toil, especially those working abroad. Renjitha's story hits close to home. The government should create a special fund for children of such tragedy victims.
K
Karthik R.
The brother staying in Ahmedabad for days waiting for news shows the strong family bonds we have in India. In this difficult time, I hope the community comes together to support them. Om Shanti.

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Kerala nurse Ahmedabad air crash Renjitha Gopakumar Air India flight AI 171 DNA identification