Kargil Recalled: Pakistan Taking IAF Pilot Into Custody Reminiscent of Group Captain Nachiketa's Capture in 1999 War
It is not the first time that Pakistan captured an IAF pilot. During Kargil War of 1999, Group Captain Kambampati Nachiketa, the then Flight Lieutenant was taken as a Prison of War (PoW) on May 27
Pakistan on Wednesday, violated the Indian air space, a day after the India Air Force (IAF) targeted terror camps of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in Balakot, Muzaffarabad and Chakothi. In the engagement one PAF’s F-16 fighter jet was shot down. Meanwhile, the IAF also lost one Mig-21 Bison aircraft. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the IAF, in a joint briefing, confirmed that an Indian pilot is in Pakistan's custody, but did not reveal the identity of the pilot. Meanwhile, Pakistan claimed that the IAF personnel that they apprehended is Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman. Pakistan Does a U-Turn, Now Says 'Only 1 IAF Pilot In Custody'.
It is not the first time that Pakistan captured an IAF pilot. During Kargil War of 1999, Group Captain Kambampati Nachiketa, the then Flight Lieutenant was taken as a Prison of War (PoW) on May 27 from Batalik Sector. He was the first and only prisoner of war of the 1999 Kargil war. The IAF officer was just 26 years old when he was taken captive by Pakistan. Group Captain Nachiketa was then serving in the No. 9 Squadron of the IAF. Geneva Convention for Protection of Prisoners of War: Know About the Treaty which Protects the Rights of POW.
He was assigned with the task to hit enemy targets at altitudes over 17,000 feet with deadly 80 mm rockets. On May 27, the IAF officer was carrying out strikes against enemy posts from his MiG 27 fighter aircraft when his aircraft experienced engine suffered snag. He ejected from the plane by was soon taken as a hostage by Pakistan soldiers. Gp Capt. Nachiketa was interrogated by PAF’s Air Commodore (Retd) Kaiser Tufai. He remained a prisoner for about a week and was repatriated to India on June 3, 1999.
Speaking to Hindustan Times about his experience, Gp Capt Nachiketa thought that maybe death is a simpler solution. He was handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross in Pakistan and subsequently was repatriated over the Indian border check post at Wagah, on the Lahore Amritsar Road. At the point of time, the IAF officer lost hope to return to India during the days he was in the captivity of the PAF. He had suffered a compression fracture, caused by ejecting at 18,000 ft. Gp Capt. Nachiketa was awarded the Vayu Sena Medal for his bravery in 2000.
Meanwhile, shortly after Pakistan released a video of the IAF pilot in their custody, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a statement calling it a violation of the Geneva Convention rules which mandate how defence personnel should be treated after being taken into custody. Earlier in the day, Pakistan Army spokesperson had claimed that two 2 Indian defence personnel landed on their soil after they intercepted two IAF warplanes. However, a fresh statement was issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations - the military's communication wing - claiming that "only 1 pilot is in our custody".
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 27, 2019 09:11 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).