Air India crash-themed Durga Puja pandal faces backlash: ‘What a shame to glorify a tragedy’
A viral clip of a Durga Puja pandal depicting the Air India crash sparked outrage.
A Durga Puja pandal that recreated the site of the June 12 Air India crash has come under heavy criticism for being disrespectful and distasteful. The pandal depicts half of an aircraft lodged into a wallpaper-themed building to reimagine the Air India aircraft that crashed into a hostel building in Ahmedabad, killing 12 crew members and 229 of the 230 passengers on board.
(Also read: Air India crash-themed pandals spark outrage: ‘Deeply disrespectful’)
Check out the clip here:
The clip of the pandal has been widely circulated on social media. HT.com, however, cannot independently verify the location of the footage.
Internet reacts with anger
The short video shared on X has garnered over 2 lakh views within hours. In the comments section, many users expressed outrage, describing the attempt as deeply insensitive to the families of those who lost their lives.
One user wrote, “How absolutely sad is that! How much trauma would it cause the families of the victims.” Another commented, “This is so so bad … very hurting … imagine lost family members seeing this.” A third remarked, “Celebrate the divine and honour the departed with compassion, as their journey ended abruptly, leaving families grieving.”
The outrage grew as more reactions poured in. “What a shame to glorify a tragedy,” one said. Another termed it “sick mentality.” A visibly angry user added, “Whosoever has approved this should be arrested immediately.”
About June 12 Crash
The Air India tragedy remains one of the deadliest aviation accidents in recent years. On June 12, Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8, crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad while en route to London Gatwick. The accident killed 241 people, including 230 passengers, 12 crew members, and several on the ground. Only one passenger survived.
