AOC shifted, 4 officers may face severe punish

SRINAGAR: The Indian Air Force has transferred the Air Officer Commanding (AOC) of the Srinagar base in the midst of a court of inquiry (CoI) probing the accidental shooting down of an Mi-17 helicopter in Kashmir during a standoff with Pakistan on February 27, even as the reports said that officer held responsible will be charged by the IAF for culpable homicide not amounting to murder along with three others.

The IAF is yet to officially acknowledge reasons for the Mi-17 helicopter's crash on February 27—in which six persons on board and a civilian was killed--the day Pakistan Air Force (PAF) fighter jets attempted to cross the Line of Control (LoC). But reports suggest that it was shot down in a friendly fire by IAF's own air defence missile.

The Pakistani Air Force had unsuccessfully attempted to target various Indian military installations in Kashmir on February 27.

They said the IAF will initiate action based on the report of the CoI which may include slapping of criminal case against those found guilty.

There have been reports that the helicopter was hit by IAF's own air defence system. However, the IAF is yet to make any official comment on the issue.

The sources said the CoI was specifically probing whether a surface-to-air missile of IAF hit the chopper and whether the Identification of Friend or Foe (IFF) system on board the helicopter was switched off.
The IFF helps air defence radars to identify whether an aircraft or helicopter is friendly or hostile.
A report said that the officer commanding the Srinagar air base, where the crash took place, has been removed.

“The senior-most official of the strategic base was removed to ensure impartial probe into the crash,” the sources said Tuesday.

The officer who was presiding over operations will face charges of culpable homicide, a criminal offence, according to another report.

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