An Indian Army pilot was killed on Monday after his helicopter crash-landed in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir, NDTV reported, citing officials. Another pilot sustained injuries.
Advanced Light Helicopter Dhruv crash-landed inside the Basohli Brigade headquarters near Lakhanpur in the evening, leaving both the pilots injured, according to India Today. Both the pilots were taken to a nearby Military Base Hospital, where one of them succumbed to his injuries, while another was receiving treatment. A defence spokesperson confirmed the death.
Local shopkeepers in the area said the helicopter’s router got entangled in the power lines, according to The Indian Express. The helicopter then fell, causing panic in the area. The chopper was coming from Pathankot in Punjab.
Senior civil and police officers from the Kathua district went to the spot but no one has been allowed to enter the Army perimeters.
Earlier this month, a MiG 21 Bison aircraft had crashed in Suratgarh in Rajasthan while landing. The pilot survived the crash and there was no damage to property.
“During a training sortie in the western sector, a MiG-21 Bison aircraft experienced a major technical malfunction this evening,” the Indian Air Force had tweeted. “The pilot ejected safely at about 8.15 pm. There is no loss of life.”
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