Aircraft Crash: IAF's Surya Kiran aircraft not to be part of display at Aero India
Bengaluru, Feb 19: Hours after two aircraft of IAF's aerobatic team Surya Kiran crashed, killing a pilot and injuring two who ejected to safety, Air Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria Tuesday said the Surya Kiran will not be a part of Aero India 2019 beginning tomorrow.
Video clips of the incident showed the two jets crashing to the ground and bursting into flames near Yelahanka air base after brushing against each other mid-air, a day ahead of the five-day event.
"We had an unfortunate incident and an investigation will take place. Surya Kiran won't be part of display," Bhadauria told reporters here.
All other displays will go ahead as planned, he added.
The Hawk jets were performing a manoeuvre when one was flying inverted carrying a pilot and the other below it with two pilots moments before they hit each other and spun out of control, according to police and eye witnesses.
The incident occurred at around 1150 hrs while practising for the air show,the Defence PRO office said in a statement.
One of the three aircrew of the aircraft, Wg Cdr V T Shelke and Sqn Ldr T J Singh ejected. However, Wing Commander Sahil Gandhi sustained fatal injuries, it said.
Throwing light on the mishap, Bhadauria said, "In this particular incident they were doing a mirror image. The margin of error is very low. Whether it was an execution error or a bird that hit will be found out in investigation,".
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said she would react after getting the details.
Earlier, Karnataka Director General of Police and Chief of Fire and Emergency Services M N Reddi said, "No major damage to any house in ISRO colony. Fire Force has completely doused the fire."
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Remarks against St Francis Xavier: Right-wing speaker Gautam Khattar gets bail
Panaji (PTI): A court in Goa on Saturday granted bail to right-wing speaker Gautam Khattar, who was arrested after he allegedly made derogatory comments against St Francis Xavier.
Judicial Magistrate First Class, Vasco, granted regular bail to Khattar, currently admitted to Goa Medical College and Hospital at Bambolim for treatment of chest pain after he was shifted from the District Hospital in Mapusa two days back.
A row erupted after a video of remarks by Khattar, the founder of Sanatan Mahasangh, at an event on April 18 in the presence of Swami Brahmeshanand, State Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho and BJP MLAs Sankulp Amonkar and Daji (Krishna) Salkar, went viral.
St Francis Xavier is revered as the patron saint of Goa.
The controversial remarks led to the Vasco Police registering an FIR against Khattar on charges of hurting religious sentiments and creating enmity between groups.
He was detained in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh, by local police. His custody was later handed over to the Goa Crime Branch, according to officials.
