Anger, hurt at IAF pilot’s home as they lose ‘pride’
Abhijay Jha | TNN | Updated: Feb 3, 2019, 08:40 IST
The family of Squadron Leader Samir Abrol (inset) at their Ghaziabad homeGHAZIABAD: “He was our family’s pride, now god has taken him from us.”
Anil Abrol was the only one who still had the strength to speak as the devastated family waited for news that the plane had landed at the nearby Hindon air base. It was bringing home the body of Squadron Leader Samir Abrol (32), who was killed when his Mirage-2000 trainer aircraft crashed near the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) airport in Bengaluru on Friday.
His fellow pilot, Squadron Leader Siddartha Negi, was also killed in the crash. Both were test pilots at the Air Force’s aircraft and systems testing establishment.
Wrapped in the Tricolour, the coffin carrying Samir Abrol’s body was brought to his house in Ghaziabad’s Gandhi Nagar around 9.40pm on Saturday in an IAF truck from the Hindon air base. His wife Garima, who he married only three years ago, waited at the gate clutching Samir’s cap and a framed photo in which he is seen alongside relatives and friends.
Staring blankly at faces consoling her, Garima had her eyes fixed on road. She broke down when the IAF truck pulled over. Samir’s parents Sanjeev and Sushma had gone to Bengaluru and had returned home from IGI airport in Delhi minutes before the IAF truck arrived. “My son is no more,” Sanjeev screamed as he hugged his relatives. Anil, Samir’s uncle, said he had last come home six months ago.
Samir’s school friend Ashish Srivastava recalled their meeting last August. “It was a chance meeting at Delhi airport and we talked about our school days. He was enthusiastic and talked about his plan to buy a new house and start a family,” said Srivstava.
Samir was always a good student. In 2004, he got through to the National Defence Academy, said his cousin Saurabh Rally. “He was an avid biker and loved adventure sports. It was this passion that made him opt for the IAF,” said Rally. ’
The IAF officer’s junior from school, who did not wish to be named, said the government had to take blame for his death. “These ‘flying coffins’ must be phased out else they will keep on consuming our men,” he said. The aircraft that crashed had been recently upgraded by HAL. Samir’s last rites will be performed at the Hindon cremation ground at 11am on Sunday.
Anil Abrol was the only one who still had the strength to speak as the devastated family waited for news that the plane had landed at the nearby Hindon air base. It was bringing home the body of Squadron Leader Samir Abrol (32), who was killed when his Mirage-2000 trainer aircraft crashed near the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) airport in Bengaluru on Friday.
His fellow pilot, Squadron Leader Siddartha Negi, was also killed in the crash. Both were test pilots at the Air Force’s aircraft and systems testing establishment.
Wrapped in the Tricolour, the coffin carrying Samir Abrol’s body was brought to his house in Ghaziabad’s Gandhi Nagar around 9.40pm on Saturday in an IAF truck from the Hindon air base. His wife Garima, who he married only three years ago, waited at the gate clutching Samir’s cap and a framed photo in which he is seen alongside relatives and friends.
Staring blankly at faces consoling her, Garima had her eyes fixed on road. She broke down when the IAF truck pulled over. Samir’s parents Sanjeev and Sushma had gone to Bengaluru and had returned home from IGI airport in Delhi minutes before the IAF truck arrived. “My son is no more,” Sanjeev screamed as he hugged his relatives. Anil, Samir’s uncle, said he had last come home six months ago.
Samir’s school friend Ashish Srivastava recalled their meeting last August. “It was a chance meeting at Delhi airport and we talked about our school days. He was enthusiastic and talked about his plan to buy a new house and start a family,” said Srivstava.
Samir was always a good student. In 2004, he got through to the National Defence Academy, said his cousin Saurabh Rally. “He was an avid biker and loved adventure sports. It was this passion that made him opt for the IAF,” said Rally. ’
The IAF officer’s junior from school, who did not wish to be named, said the government had to take blame for his death. “These ‘flying coffins’ must be phased out else they will keep on consuming our men,” he said. The aircraft that crashed had been recently upgraded by HAL. Samir’s last rites will be performed at the Hindon cremation ground at 11am on Sunday.
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