The town of Wani in Maharashtra’s Yavatmal district woke up to heartbreaking news on Sunday morning, as three members of a local family died in a helicopter crash en route to Kedarnath.
The deceased — Rajkumar Suresh Jaiswal, 41, his wife Shradha Rajkumar Jaiswal, 34, and their two-year-old daughter Kashi Rajkumar Jaiswal — were residents of Wani. The couple’s two sons, aged six and ten, survived as they had stayed back with relatives.
The Jaiswal family had originally planned their pilgrimage to Kedarnath earlier but postponed it due to safety concerns following the recent India-Pakistan standoff in the Pahalgam region. They rescheduled the trip for this week through a travel company, said family friend Niket Gupta.
Yavatmal Superintendent of Police Kumar Chintha confirmed the deaths and said the incident occurred around 5.30 am, when the helicopter, carrying seven people from Guptkashi to Kedarnath, crashed in a dense forest area between Gaurikund and Trijuginarayan. Authorities have confirmed that all seven on board perished.
“Out of concern for their safety, the Jaiswal family had postponed their original travel plans,” Gupta said. “It’s deeply tragic that despite their precautions, they met with such a fate.” Other relatives of the Jaiswal family were also on the pilgrimage, but were at a different location and not aboard the helicopter. Rajkumar Jaiswal was a well-known coal transport businessman in Wani, operating for over a decade. Friends described him as kind-hearted and compassionate.
“We received the shocking news around 7 am,” said Gupta, speaking with mid-day over the phone. “Some family members have already left for Kedarnath to assist with recovery efforts, but we haven’t received confirmation yet.” Wani, located approximately 100 kilometres from Yavatmal city, has been left in mourning by the tragedy.
Just a year ago, the family had named their youngest daughter ‘Kashi’. In her honour, a grand religious event — Kashi Shiv Mahapuran Katha — was organised in Wani with deep devotion. The event, conducted by noted spiritual orator Pradeep Mishra, saw widespread participation from the local community.
