Mangalore crash: Hundreds bid final adieu to air-hostess

Hundreds gathered in the narrow gullies of Tukaram Nagar in Dombivli (East) on Sunday as the body of Tejal Kamulkar — one of the four crew members of the ill-fated Air India Express flight IX-812 — arrived at her Soubhagya Society home.

It was well over 36 hours after the plane crash in Mangalore that the 25-year-old airhostess’ body was brought home.

Her body was kept for just 10 minutes. It was then carried to Shiv Mandir Road crematorium. Tejal’s parents Anil Kumar and Bharati and younger brother Gaurav were inconsolable.

Family friend Aarti Kothari said, “We have known each other for several years. Through sheer hard work she became an air-hostess. I can’t believe that she is no more.”

Gaurav’s classmate Karan Kothari said, “We will miss Tejal. I always considered her as my sister. We used to have great fun during festivals.”