First C-295 aircraft inducted into IAF
Ghaziabad (PTI): The first C-295 medium tactical transport aircraft was inducted into the Indian Air Force on Monday, boosting its logistics capabilities.
The induction ceremony took place at the Hindan Air Force Station here in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. He later took part in a 'Sarva Dharma Pooja' that was performed in the hangar to mark the occasion.
IAF chief Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari along with senior officials of the IAF as well as of Airbus attended the induction ceremony.
The first C-295 aircraft was inducted into Squadron No. 11 of the IAF. It is one of the oldest squadrons of the Indian Air Force (IAF) and is currently based at Vadodara Air Force Station.
The aircraft was unveiled at the hangar after two sliding screens, bearing '11 SQN: Pioneers of C-295 MW', 'Rhinos: The Trailblazers of C-295 MW', and image of the newly-inducted aircraft, moved sideways. One-horned rhino is the emblem of Sqn. No. 11.
The IAF chief had on September 13 received the first of the 56 C-295 transport aircraft two years after India sealed a Rs 21,935-crore deal with Airbus Defence and Space to procure the jets to replace its ageing Avro-748 fleet.
The aircraft had landed in Vadodara on September 20, days after it was handed over to the IAF in the southern Spanish city of Seville.
Airbus will deliver the first 16 aircraft in fly-away condition from its final assembly line in Seville by 2025 and the subsequent 40 aircraft will be manufactured and assembled by Tata Advanced Systems (TASL) in India as part of an industrial partnership between the two companies.
The production of components of these aircraft has already started in the Main Constituent Assembly facility in Hyderabad. These parts will be shipped to the Final Assembly Line in Vadodara which is expected to be operational by November 2024.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid the foundation stone of the manufacturing facility for C-295 planes in Vadodara in October last year. It will be the first military aircraft to be manufactured in India by a private consortium.
The IAF is procuring the C-295 aircraft to replace its fleet of ageing Avro-748 planes that entered the service over six decades ago.
The C-295 is known to be a superior aircraft used for tactical transport of up to 71 troops or 50 paratroopers and for logistic operations to locations that are not accessible to current heavier aircraft. The aircraft can airdrop paratroops and loads, and also be used for casualty or medical evacuation.
The aircraft is capable of performing special missions as well as disaster response and maritime patrol duties.
VIDEO | Defence minister Rajnath Singh formally inducts IAF’s first C- 295 MW transport aircraft into the Indian Air Force at Hindon Airbase in UP's Ghaziabad. pic.twitter.com/MOR5l46KWr
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Woman found hanging with hands tied behind back in UP's Ballia; grandmother alleges foul play
Ballia (UP), Mar 23 (PTI): A 20-year-old woman was found hanging from a tree, her hands tied behind her back, in a village in the Nagra area early on Sunday, police here said, with her kin alleging foul play behind her death.
The woman's maternal grandmother said she was to get married on April 25.
"The condition of the body makes it clear that my granddaughter did not commit suicide. Many people are involved in this incident. I want justice. Strict action should be taken against the culprits," she said.
Superintendent of Police Omveer Singh said "prima facie, the case is related to a love affair" and added four teams had been formed to uncover the truth as soon as possible.
The opposition Samajwadi Party and the Congress attacked the BJP-led government, saying the incident exposed the reality of its claims about women's safety in the state.
Superintendent of Police Singh said the woman was alone at home for the past two days as her parents had gone to Lucknow for treatment.
Information about her body being found was relayed on the 112 helpline and Singh, along with other officers, and crime branch and surveillance teams, reached the spot.
The woman was found hanging six feet above the ground from a jamun tree, with her hands tied behind her back, he said.
Her brother is in Gujarat and her sister lives with her family in Assam. The nearest home in the area is 40-50 metres away.
The body has been sent for post-mortem and four teams of local police and surveillance, a circle officer from Rasra, and an additional superintendent of police have been assigned to investigate the case, Singh said.
The superintendent of police later told PTI that the woman's body was found six to seven feet away from her home.
Asked if she had been sexually assaulted, he said details would become clearer only after the post-mortem.
Attacking the state government, the Samajwadi Party and the Congress sought justice for the bereaved family.
In a post in Hindi on X, the Samajwadi Party said, "Daughters are becoming victims of the Adityanath government's failure! The body of a 17-year-old girl was found hanging from a tree in Ballia. Sisters and daughters are being murdered, raped and exploited every day under the BJP government. Is this the chief minister's 'zero tolerance'? Strictest action should be taken against the accused and justice delivered."
The Congress' state unit said such heart-wrenching incidents were happening with "sisters and daughters" every day under the BJP government.
"But Baba ji cannot see anything beyond the pleasure of his power!" it added, referring to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
