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An official source said the crash occurred when the pilot on encountering rough weather tried to return to base but lost radio contact. Twenty-three military personnel and crew were killed when an Air Force Packet aircraft crashed in blinding snow and rain in the Lohi Malhar hilly area in Kathua, 136 km northeast of Jammu. Police and rescue parties, which went to the accident site, found 15 mutilated bodies. Search for more bodies was abandoned because of approaching darkness, and heavy rain and snowfall. According to a senior Air Force official, the aircraft left Pathankot in the morning for Leh with supplies of troops in forward areas and servicemen returning from leave. An official source said the crash occurred when the pilot on encountering rough weather tried to return to base but lost radio contact. A police picket which saw the aircraft crash informed the Kathua police.
Indira criticises US
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi has lashed out at the US for its utter lack of understanding of the Indian position. In an interview in the latest issue of US World and News Report, Mrs Gandhi criticised Washington’s decision to sell F-16 fighters to Pakistan as the latest demonstration of this lack of understanding. She charged that the sale adds “tremendously to our burdens and it has brought dangers and pressures much closer to our borders”.
Opposition unity
Representatives of three Opposition parties talked of joint action rather than merger. A co-ordination committee set up by the Janata Party, the Congress (S) and the Lok Dal to discuss the modalities for their merger concluded its day-long session with the realistic plan of joint action based on a common minimum programme. Biju Patnaik, convenor of the front, said that they did not want to repeat the mistake of 1977 by talking of a merger first. The Janata Party was formed but there was no unity of mind and vision, he said.
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