Sanjay Gandhi, Indira's successor was killed in plain crash on this day

New Delhi, June 23: Former Indian politician Sanjay Gandhi was the son of Indira Gandhi. He was widely expected to succeed his mother as the head of the Indian National Congress. However, following his early death in a plane crash, his elder brother Rajiv Gandhi became their mother's political heir and succeeded her as Prime Minister of India after her assassination.

His wife Maneka Gandhi and son Varun Gandhi are politicians in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

How did Sanjay Gandhi died:

Sanjay Gandhi died instantly from head injury in an air crash on June 23, 1980, near Safdarjung Airport in New Delhi. He was flying a new aircraft of the Delhi flying club and while performing an aerobatic manoeuvre over his office, it lost control and crashed.

It is reportedly said that Sanjay Gandhi was not well experienced as a pilot but a daredevil all the same.

His elder brother told him on numerous occasions to be more careful and to wear proper shoes and not Kolhapuri chappals in the cockpit. Sanjay Gandhi chose to ignore his advice.

He was clad in kurta-pyjama and Kolhapuri chappals when he got into the advanced Pitts S- 2A aircraft. He flew low and indulged in some reckless manoeuvres before crashing.

Sanjay died instantly and it took eight surgeons four hours to stitch up his mutilated body.