Three IAF officers who took part in the Balakot air strikes last year received gallantry medals on the 88th Air Force Day on Thursday.
The officers who received the Yudh Seva Medal are Squadron Leader Minty Agarwal, Group Captain Hansel Sequera and Group Captain Hemant Kumar Vadsra. The Yudh Seva Medal recognises distinguished service of a high order during war, conflict or hostilities.
Six air force personnel had died in the February 27 crash in Jammu and Kashmir’s Budgam and a civilian on the ground was charred to death. The friendly fire took place when Pakistani planes had raided Indian territory a day after New Delhi had launched an air strike on Balakot in retaliation to the February 14 Pulwama strike.
In January this year, the Centre had also awarded gallantry medals to the two Indian Air Force’s pilot and four other IAF personnel “Mention-in-Despatches” posthumously, prompting questions from some defence ministry officials.
The officials had said it was very unusual and surprising that the two pilots — Squadron Leaders Siddharth Vashisht and Ninad Mandavgan — of the ill-fated Mi17 chopper had been awarded the Vayu Sena Medal as they and other four IAF personnel had fallen to their own comrades’ fire.
The helicopter tragedy had taken place on the same day the plane of Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was shot down and was captured by Pakistan, which later released him.
