The death of pilot Sumeet Sabharwal, 56, who was flying the crashed Air India flight, has cast a pall of mourning over the Jalvayu Vihar residential complex in Powai. The residents are still in shock and struggling to accept the tragedy. As most of the bodies were charred, DNA testing is being used for identification. On Friday, employees from Tata Laboratories visited his residence to collect DNA samples for identification. The staff collected samples from Sabharwal’s relatives as well. After all medico-legal formalities are done, the body will be brought to Mumbai for cremation after identification is confirmed.
Sabharwal was a line training captain with Air India. He lived with his elderly father in flat 901, F Wing, of the Jalvayu Vihar complex in Powai. Retired Air Force officers and employees primarily occupy the complex. His father, who is in his nineties, has been deeply affected by the loss. Since Thursday, grief has enveloped the building. Sumit’s sister and two children have returned from Delhi to be with their father. The Powai police have cordoned off the area, and no visitors are being allowed inside, given the father’s advanced age and emotional state.
