Ranjitha’s body identified through DNA test

The agonising wait lasting nearly two weeks for the family of Ranjitha Gopakumaran Nair, the 39-year-old nurse who died in the Ahmedabad plane crash, has finally come to an end with the authorities confirming her identity through DNA testing.

According to Ranjitha’s family, her DNA sample matched with that of her mother. The delay in identification was due to the severe burns sustained by the crash victims, which left DNA testing as the only reliable method.

Initially, a DNA sample from her brother Ratheesh G. Nair was used, but it did not yield a match. This led to samples being collected from her mother and two children at their home in Pullad three days ago. Ranjitha’s brother, who has been coordinating with officials in Ahmedabad, had remained in the city all these days with their uncle Unnikrishnan to expedite the identification process. Her elder brother, who is working abroad, has since returned home and is currently with the family.

Ranjitha was the youngest of three children of Gopakumaran Nair and Thulasi. After earning her nursing degree from Pandalam, she began her career in Gujarat, later moving to Salalah, Oman, where she worked for several years. Five years ago, she secured a government job at the Pathanamthitta General Hospital.

Last year, she moved to the U.K., taking a long leave from her government post. During a recent visit to India, she completed the formalities to renew her government service and was preparing to move into the new house she had been building in Pullad.

Ranjitha had travelled from Tiruvalla to Ernakulam by train, then flew from Nedumbassery to Chennai and onward to Ahmedabad, where she boarded the ill-fated flight to London. Her death has left her children, Induchoodan, a Class X student, and Idhika, in Class III student, and her mother, Thulasi, in distress.

Her mortal remains are was expected to be brought to the Thiruvananthapuram airport by 7 a.m. on Tuesday. From there, the body will be taken to Sree Vivekananda High School in Pullad, her alma mater, for public viewing. The funeral will be held later in the evening in the courtyard of her home.