New Delhi: India's top military court ordered sacking an Air Force Group Captain for missile attack on friendly Mi-17 helicopter on February 27, 2019, leading to death of six servicemen and civilian, according to an Indian media report published.

It said General Court Martial (GCM) in New Delhi ordered dismissal of Group Captain Suman Roy Chowdhury, then Chief Operations Officer (COO) of Srinagar Air Force Station, for missile attack on friendly Mi-17 helicopter on February 27, 2019. Five people including four Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel were killed in helicopter crash in Budgam district of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir on February 27, 2019.

Crash happened same day when Pakistan Air Force (PAF) shot down two Indian warplanes after they intruded into its airspace while responding to Pakistani aerial mission on targets inside IIOJK. Pakistani forces also managed to capture IAF pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who was released only after two days in captivity in peace gesture from Pakistan.

Indian media report quoted air force officials as saying that findings of GCM and sentence was subject to confirmation by IAF chief. Group Captain Chowdhury is held guilty on five of nine charges including not obeying general order issued by country's Air Headquarters "Which required all aircraft operating north of latitude 3200 N to operate with Identification Friend or Foe on".

Published in The Daily National Courier, April, 12 2023

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