Indian astrologer claims to predict Ahmedabad plane crash, faces backlash

An Indian astrologer has provoked widespread criticism after resurfacing previous social media posts that appeared to forecast an aviation tragedy, following the recent Air India crash in Ahmedabad, which has resulted in over 200 fatalities.

The astrologer, Sharmishtha, who publicly identifies as a practitioner of Vedic astrology, posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday expressing grief over the incident. She also appeared to associate the crash with earlier astrological predictions.

“It is very unfortunate that we lost so many lives in Air India crash in Ahmedabad today,” she wrote. “Jupiter is yet to enter Ardra, and India’s Mars Mahadasha is yet to begin, yet so much has already started… I’m unable to reply to everyone. Apologies for that. Om Shanti.”

Aviation sector will do better in 2025, also plane crash headlines may give us shock, predicted this two months back, check the tweet below. Already a bit betterment in aviation sector started. When Jupiter will be in Gemini part of Mrigashira & Ardra with the speed of approx…

— Astro Sharmistha (@AstroSharmistha) December 29, 2024

Archived posts from her account, including one dated December 2024, stated: “Aviation sector will do better in 2025, also plane crash headlines may give us shock… When Jupiter will be in Gemini part of Mrigashira & Ardra… safety and security will be missing.”

Tata will make Rafale fuselage in Hyderabad. This is just aviation expansion, ISRO will surprise the world in Space and satellite engineering, space tourism in coming two years. Predicted this last year via Nakshatra transit. I am still holding high the prediction of Plane crash… https://t.co/WjX39R7E47

— Astro Sharmistha (@AstroSharmistha) June 5, 2025

Another post from June 5, just days before the crash, alluded to predictions involving aviation growth and potential “destruction” within the sector.

Following the tragedy, users began analyzing her timeline, prompting hashtags such as #ArtOfPrediction to trend. Many expressed disbelief and outrage, accusing her of exploiting a national tragedy to validate astrological claims. Critics described her comments as lacking empathy and sensitivity.

One user asked, “Are the stars really deciding the path of our flights?”, while another remarked, “Such an accurate prediction? Now I’m starting to get scared of constellations.”

A widely shared comment read, “With due respect, people have lost their lives in a tragic plane crash, and you’re using it to make astrological predictions? This is not the time for celestial commentary, it’s a time for empathy, accountability, and action.”