AI171 Accident: For A City In Mourning Post AI Plane Crash, 'Hausla Rakhna Ahmedabad' Hoardings Lift Spirits

Ahmedabad: An otherwise calm city, Ahmedabad has in a few hours of the deadly AI-171 air crash become calmer. It was not the pain of the people of the city who were affected but the streets and lanes, market places and business establishment, which seemed to be in a state of mourning. But to keep the spirit of the city high, overnight, hoardings urging people to have courage have sprung up across busy thoroughfares stating 'Hausla Rakhna Ahmedabad' meaning, keep up your spirit Ahmedabad.

An eerie silence pervades even the most crowded localities. Roads are deserted, with far less traffic than on usual days, and people seemed to be engulfed in their own thoughts while carrying on their day to day activities.

A 24-year-old cab driver Urjan Rajput, got emotional while talking to ETV Bharat. "We are scared after the plane crash. We never thought such an accident will take place in this city. Even the death of our former CM is difficult to digest. It will take us a lot of time to recuperate from the shock," Rajput said. On the posters put up in the city, he said, "The magnitude of the incident is so much that people are not able to get over. They are sad, so some organisations have put up such posters. We had never seen anything like this and accepting it is getting difficult."

Asked about the death of Rupani, with moist eyes he said, ''His death is a big loss. Not all losses can be recovered and this is one such instance."

For many who had witnessed the crash, sleep was a distant dream Monday night. "The images flashed around and disturbing visuals kept haunting. It is not for a day, but these images will affect all who saw this unfolding step by step," says the resident of a locality close to the crash site.

Praveen Yadav, a 27-year-old youth living close to the crash site, said, "From our house, we see flights taking off every day. But I never imagined I would witness this kind of a sight. I was scared and left my house to live in another area. Today I returned. I have never seen such an incident in my life. It is scary and haunting.''

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