The Indian Air Force has transferred the Air Officer Commanding (AOC) of the Srinagar base in the midst of a court of inquiry probing the crash of Mi-17 helicopter in Kashmir during a standoff with Pakistan on 27 February, PTI quoting sources reported on Tuesday.
It said thesenior-most official of the strategic base was removed to ensure impartial probeinto the crash.
The helicopter crashed in Budgam on 27 February this yearwhen Indian and Pakistani fighter jets were engaged in a fierce aerial combat,a day after IAF jets carried out aerial strikes in Balakot, Pakistan.
Sources said the CoI was also probing whether the helicoptercrashed after being accidentally hit by the IAF’s air defence system, which wason highest alert following the Balakot strikes.
There have been reports that the helicopter was hit by IAF’sown air defence system. However, the IAF is yet to make any official comment onthe issue.
The sources said the CoI was specifically probing whether asurface-to-air missile of IAF hit the chopper and whether the Identification ofFriend or Foe (IFF) system on board the helicopter was switched off.The IFF helps air defence radars to identifywhether an aircraft or helicopter is friendly or hostile.