Vijay Rupani's belief in 1206: Luck took a tragic turn for ex-Gujarat chief minister

With faith on the number 1206 for many decades, he booked a flight to London for June 12 to meet his wife and daughter. Believing the set of numbers as auspicious, he boarded the Air India flight with 231 other passengers and 10 cabin crew.

The number 1206 was a token of good luck and fortune to the ex-Chief Minister of Gujarat, Vijay Rupani. From his old scooter, to his Activa car, the registration numbers of all his vehicles displayed 1206 on them, as per a report by Times of India.

In a sudden turn of events, the plane crashed within seconds of takeoff, colliding with a doctors' hostel. The aircraft and the building caught fire, with the fatal crash killed close to 250 people, including 241 passengers, and injuring over 50 medical students residents of the hostel.

Rupani was known for social work. When his son, Pujit, passed away in an accident, the former Gujarat CM and his wife Anjaliben opened a trust that provides support to financially underprivileged women and children.

From being a trusted confidante to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to contesting Gujarat elections and becoming the Chief Minister from 2016 to 2021, his journey goes beyond politics.

With faith on the number for many decades, he booked a flight to London for June 12 to meet his wife and daughter. Believing the set of numbers as auspicious, he boarded the Air India flight with 231 other passengers and 10 cabin crew.

"Rupani had delayed his visit to the UK from June 5 to 12," shared Punjab BJP chief Sunil Kahar, as the Ludhiana West bypoll was set to commence on June 19.

Onboard the flight were 169 Indian citizens, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian. The aircraft collapsed soon after a MAYDAY call was made, near Meghaninagar, outside the premises of the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner's crash is one of the most tragic aviation accidents in the history of India. There has been only one survivor of the crash, a British national of Indian origin.