MHA writes to MoD to probe IAF men
A controversy has erupted over the recent Naxal attack on an Indian Air Force copter in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh. The Union home ministry has written to the defence ministry pointing fingers at the IAF for “abandoning’’ the copter, their weapons and the injured wireless operator of the Chhattisgarh Armed Force in the Naxal hotbed after it was hit by the Maoists on January 18.
Taking up the matter strongly, Union home secretary R.K. Singh has written to defence secretary Shashikant Sharma, seeking an inquiry and appropriate action.
In his letter, Mr Singh has said that the “conduct of the IAF personnel in abandoning the helicopter, their weapons and the injured wireless operator appears to be a clear violation of the standard operating procedures.’’ He further wrote, “This act by the members of an Armed Force of the Union is extremely disturbing and reflect on their battle hardiness.”
While the MHA has blamed the IAF personnel, sources in the IAF have said that the area was not sanitised by the security forces which resulted in the attack by the Maoists who fired at the helicopter. In his letter, the home secretary has admitted that the landing site at Timelwada in Sukma district was not properly sanitised by the Chhattisgarh police. Mr Singh has said that the MHA is taking up the matter separately with the Chhattisgarh government.
However, in his letter, Mr Singh pointed out that six IAF personnel were on board the IAF helicopter, along with the wireless operator, when it was fired upon by the Maoists. He said that it was only after the six IAF personnel abandoned everything and moved to the nearest police station in Chintagufa, the CRPF’s anti-Naxal “Cobra” unit personnel located the copter at night and the injured wireless operator was evacuated to Chitagufa police station in the early hours of January 19. The wireless operator of the state police continues to be in a critical state, an official said.
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