From fiery survival to fatal freefall—the story of Sanjay Kumar embodies despair’s cruel twist. An air ambulance meant to whisk the severely burned dhaba owner to Delhi instead became his coffin, crashing in Chatra and taking six others with him in a 23-minute tragedy.
February 16’s blaze at his Chandwa dhaba left 41-year-old Sanjay 65% burned. Ranchi’s Devkamal Hospital couldn’t stabilize him after five days. Family’s solution: 8 lakh rupees in loans for Red Bird Airways charter to Delhi’s specialists.
At 7:10 PM Monday, takeoff from Ranchi with Sanjay, Archana Devi, nephew Dhruv, crew, Dr. Vikas Gupta (Sadar Hospital’s critical care ace), and paramedic Sachin. ATC silence at 7:34 PM preceded the Simaria impact. All perished instantly.
Dr. Gupta’s credentials shone: Bihar roots, Jharkhand life, expert in anesthesia for dire cases. His banker wife at SBI and 8-year-old son now navigate widowhood. The crash site, amid dense forests near Latehar, complicated rescue—bodies recovered hours later.
Whispers of technical glitches or sudden weather shifts fuel speculation as DGCA teams descend. For Sanjay’s kin, who mortgaged futures for flight, betrayal stings deepest. This loss underscores air medical service vulnerabilities in underserved areas, urging reforms before another family pays with lives. Jharkhand’s skies, once a beacon of hope, now echo with sorrow.