NEW DELHI: Two Delhi neighbourhoods witnessed sombre scenes on Thursday as the last rites of the pilots killed in the Baramati plane crash were performed.
Captain Sumit Kapoor and First Officer Shambhavi Pathak were among the five people who died when a VSR Ventures Learjet 45 crashed near Baramati in Maharashtra on Wednesday. The aircraft was carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and went down minutes before its scheduled landing.
Captain Sumit Kapoor, the pilot-in-command of the aircraft, was cremated at the Punjabi Bagh crematorium. His mortal remains were not taken to his residence in Rajouri Garden, with family members and friends gathering directly at the cremation ground to pay their last respects. A quiet atmosphere prevailed, with residents expressing shock over his sudden death.
Kapoor, in his 50s, had logged over 15,000 hours of flying experience. Neighbours described him as an affable and helpful person who was actively involved in community activities. A close friend said residents learnt about the crash only after watching news reports on Wednesday morning and found it hard to believe that Kapoor was on board the ill-fated aircraft. He is survived by his wife, a son who is also a pilot, a daughter-in-law and a grandchild. Kapoor had been living on rent in the locality while constructing a house nearby, neighbours said.
In Safdarjung Enclave, the mortal remains of co-pilot Shambhavi Pathak were brought to her residence amid a subdued atmosphere. Curtains remained drawn and residents spoke in hushed tones as relatives and neighbours gathered to pay their respects.
She was later cremated at the Lodhi Road crematorium in the presence of close family members and friends. Pathak, around 25 years old, had joined VSR Ventures in 2022 as a first officer.
Neighbours and friends remembered her as dedicated and respectful. Her mother is a teacher at Air Force Bal Bharati School, while her father is a retired Army pilot. The family had been preparing for her wedding, residents said.