Deeply saddened by loss of courageous IAF pilot during aerial display at Dubai Air Show: HAL
New Delhi (PTI): State-run aerospace behemoth Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), the manufacturer of Tejas aircraft, on Friday said it was deeply saddened by the loss of life of the "courageous IAF pilot" during the aerial display at the Dubai Air Show.
The pilot has been identified as Wing Commander Namansh Syal.
He was killed on Friday after the indigenous multi-role Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), Tejas, crashed in a ball of fire during the aerial display at the Dubai Air Show.
It was the second time in 20 months that the aircraft manufactured by HAL was involved in a crash. The earlier accident occurred in Jaisalmer in Rajasthan in March last year, but the pilot ejected safely.
"HAL is deeply saddened by the loss of the courageous IAF pilot during the aerial display at the Dubai Air Show. HAL expresses its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. @IAF_MCC @SpokespersonMoD @DefProdnIndia," HAL posted on X.
As the crash inside the grounds of an airfield in Dubai cast a tragic shadow on an otherwise mega spectacle on the last day of the event in the desert city, visuals of the accident aired on TV channels showed the jet abruptly dropping height after what looked like a low-altitude manoeuvre and then nosedived into the ground in a matter of seconds before being engulfed in a ball of fire.
Black smoke billowed over the Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central, as horrified spectators, including women and children, seated at a grandstand area behind a fenced airstrip, watched in shock.
The project to build the Tejas aircraft finally took off in 1984 after years of deliberations, and the jet was formally declared fit to fly in 2011.
The IAF test crew have been involved with the Tejas project right from the conceptual stage till prototype testing. The first version of the aircraft was inducted into the IAF in 2016.
In February 2021, the defence ministry sealed a Rs 48,000 crore deal with HAL for the procurement of 83 Tejas MK-1A jets for the IAF.
In November 2023, the ministry had accorded an initial approval to procure an additional batch of 97 Tejas jets for the IAF.
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Fresh case registered against activist Snehamayi Krishna
Bengaluru PTI): A fresh FIR has been registered against social activist Snehamayi Krishna for making defamatory statements against a woman.
Basaveshwara Nagar Police Station registered a First Information Report against Krishna on Saturday.
According to the FIR, complainant Pavithra B N (37) alleged that a letter dated December 5 was delivered to her residence, in which Snehamayi Krishna made defamatory allegations regarding the death of her husband and against her advocate, Raghu.
The letter also indicated that a complaint had been submitted to the Mahalakshmipuram Police Station seeking reinvestigation into her husband’s death.
The complainant further alleged that a threatening note was enclosed with the letter, pressuring her to withdraw cases filed against a man named Mylaraappa.
She stated that the mobile number of the person exerting pressure was mentioned in the letter.
Pavithra claimed that the alleged actions had caused severe distress to her family, disrupted her children’s education, created unrest at home and deprived them of peace.
She also accused the persons named in the complaint of using abusive language and issuing life threats.
Police initially registered a non-cognisable report.
After Pavithra obtained permission from the 24th ACMM Court to initiate criminal proceedings, an FIR was formally registered against Snehamayi Krishna and Mylaraappa as per the court’s direction.
Krishna has previously been in the news for lodging complaints and making allegations against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his wife Parvathi B M, and others for obtaining Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) alternative sites (plots) against the rules.
The Lokayukta police which investigated the matter filed a closure report, which the special court of public representatives admitted.
On Thursday, he also levelled accusations against Karnataka Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh along with a Karnataka Administrative Services (KAS) officer D B Natesh, the former MUDA Commissioner.
Shalini Rajneesh's office rejected the charges categorically and termed his accusations "defamatory".
On Saturday he apologised for making allegations against the Chief Secretary.
