Air Force, BSF, Raw
start probe
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Air Force and Border Security Force personnel from the Centre and state
have reached Lakhpat in Kutch to investigate the air force copter crash
site where five BSF personnel were killed on Tuesday morning, according
to reliable sources.
An air force MI-8 helicopter
carrying eight BSF personnel and four crew members of the Air Force
station at Bhuj crashed into marshy land under mysterious situation
on Monday afternoon a few kilometres from the Pakistani border.
Director-general of the
BSF E.L. Ramohan from Delhi reached the crash site in a special copter
and air officer command-in-chief of North Western Air Command V.K. Bhatia
also reached the site to review the situation and proceed investigation.
Sources added that a special report will be prepared by Air Force experts,
who are investigating thoroughly into the exact cause of the crash.
Sources also said that an official of the Research and Analysis Wing
is assisting in the investigation.
Even though there were
fears that the copter might have crashed due to a Pakistani missile
attack, Defence Minister George Fernandes ruled out Pakistan’s involvement
in the crash, saying experts see it as a technical snag.
R.M. Bhattacharya, Director
General (Intelligence) said, "The chances of a Pakistani
missile attack to down the copter seems impossible since the crash site
is too far from the border, unless a heat seeking stinger missile was
used to hit the target. However, one of the survivors has stated that
he did hear a loud bang before the copter crashed. So the exact cause
of the crash can be known only after experts investigate and give the
report."
The copter crash at Lakhpat
has once again brought Lakhpat under spotlight after Indian forces shot
down a Pakistani reconnaisance air craft Atlantique on August 11,1999.
Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel has conveyed his condolences to the family
of the copter crash victims.
He also announced Rs. 2
lakhs for surviving family members of the crash victims. Governor Sunder
Singh Bhandari has expressed grief and shock over the death of BSF and
Air Force personnel.
