Copter Wireless Operation in Hospital even after one month

     Raipur, February 21, 2013: Even after one month Yamlal Sahu, the Wireless Operator of Chhattisgarh Police who was injured when police attacked an Indian Air Force Helicopter in Sukma district, is in hospital.

     Sahu is undergoing treatment in a private hospital in Raipur for over one month after Maoists bullet hit him in Sukma district on January 18, last, official sources said.

     Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh today met Sahu and his family members and assured them of all assistance from the state government for his treatment, the sources said.

     The Chief Minister also inquired about the health condition from Sahu and his doctors and wished him speedy recovery.

     In a controversial decision, the crew members of the Indian Air Force helicopter deserted Sahu and took shelter in a police station in Sukma district after their flying machine was damaged on January 18 by Maoists.

     When the IAF helicopter was trying land near Timilwada for casualty evacuation, Maoists opened rapid fire from the village side partially damaging the flying machine about 525 Km from Raipur, police sources had said.

     In that incident wireless operation Sahu received bullet injuries, they said. Sahu was among the seven crew members of the IAF helicopter.

     Leaving behind Sahu and the damaged helicopter, its rest six crew members, including Pilot Sumanta T S Singh, Co-Pilot S P Rohit Kumar, Engineer J S Mehlawat, Assistant Engineer Manoj Kumar and Gunmen B S Choudhury and J S Thapa took shelter in Chintagupha police station, the sources said.

     Commandos from the elite COBRA forces and CRPF battalion subsequently reached the site, where the helicopter was forced landed and secured the flying machine and shifted the injured wireless operator to the Chintagupha police station, they added.

     On April 21, last year Sukma District Collector Alex V F Paul Menon V was abducted by the Maoists from Majhipara and after a negotiation for 13 days, he was released unharmed, although at the time of his abduction both of his armed body guards were killed.

     Maoists on November 14, 2008 had shot dead an IAF flight engineer Sergeant Mustafa Ali from the ground firing when an Indian Air Force helicopter was taking off from Pidiya helipad in Bijapur district in the same south region of Chhattisgarh after collecting electronic voting machines for the 2008 Chhattisgarh Assembly Election.