To the former Gujarat Chief Minister, Vijay Rupani, the number 1206 was much more than just a mere combination of figures- it was his personal lucky charm that he carried with him through life. The registration number of his first scooter, to the number plate of his official CM vehicle, ‘1206’, was ever-present in both his personal and official life. According to friends and family, he believed strongly in its importance. However, on June 12, 2025, 12/06, that number had a tragic twist, as it was the day that he was killed.
Rupani, 68, was among the 242 passengers on board Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which crashed a few minutes after takeoff against the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, when it was headed to London, Gatwick. The plane crashed into a hostel compound belonging to a medical college in Meghani Nagar at about 1:40 PM IST, resulting in a raging fire and massive damage.
Mr. Vijay Rupani was supposedly sitting in 2D, according to the flight manifest. His death, and that of 241 other people, was later confirmed by Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu. He was supposedly going to London to meet his wife and daughter.
The pictures taken at his house in Rajkot have cars with the number plate still having ‘1206, as a memory of how much the number was associated with his personality. The Gujarat BJP President, CR Patil, lamented the loss and pointed at the inhuman irony of the date: “Our leader, former Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, was to meet his family. It is a painful loss to the party. Rest in peace, his soul.”
The AI171 flight had 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, 1 Canadian, and 7 Portuguese nationals. The origin of the crash is still under investigation.
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