NEW DELHI
The Indian Air Force has removed an officer commanding at the Srinagar air base in connection with the crash of an Mi-17 helicopter in Budgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on February 27.
A Court of Inquiry is still investigating the crash and a final report is yet to be submitted. The air officer commanding, who is the senior-most officer on the base, was reportedly removed as the crash happened on his watch.
Six personnel of the Indian Air Force and a civilian were killed after the Mi-17 crashed in Budgam soon after taking off from the Srinagar airfield on a routine mission. The crash took place when jets of Indian and Pakistani air forces were engaged in a dogfight in Nowshera sector in Jammu and Kashmir.
The inquiry is looking into the role of a senior officer who ordered a ground-based missile to be fired shortly before the crash. At least four officers involved in the decision to launch the ground-based missile may face charges of different degrees.
The inquiry will also look into why the Identify Friend or Foe system, a radar-based identification system, on the chopper did not work.
