Way back in 1966, I was holding charge of the Namakkal police sub-division, and about to be promoted as Superintendent of Police. However, on the eve of the 1967 election, I was posted to command a paramilitary force in Arunachal Pradesh, then called NEFA.
Be that as it may, I enjoyed my stay in Arunachal for two years earning two special duty medals from the President of India.
We were doing security coverage duties on the India-China border abutting Tibet which was gobbled up by the Chinese. In that assignment, I was trained in the knowledge of all weaponry para jumping and of course, of the operations of all sorts of aircraft from twin-engined Helio to jets, helicopters and Dakotas.
I had also the good fortune of accompanying Indira Gandhi for three days all over Arunachal. Though I was travelling all over on Air Force flights, I also took pleasure in trekking from 1,000 feet to 12,000 feet.
While travelling with Indira Gandhi, we had to take all security precautions for her trip. Unfortunately, we had a Dakota accident at an altitude of 12,000 feet and having sighted the accident first and doing a relief operation, I informed the Air Force headquarters in Delhi and I became a star witness in their Board of Enquiry.
I felt I must share my thoughts after the unfortunate death of the Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat, in a helicopter accident in Coonoor. As a policeman, I salute General Rawat.
Normally, it is a protocol procedure for VIP trips in that area from Coimbatore to Coonoor that it had to be initially surveyed by the same type of helicopter. The weather report should be obtained much earlier. A pilot aircraft should go in advance and the VVIP does not travel on the aircraft earmarked for him as known to the public but on a different aircraft.
I don’t know whether all these protocol formalities were gone through in the case of General Bipin Rawat.
Hence to clear all the doubts from the public and to rule out any possible conspiracy, I suggest a committee consisting of a senior General from the Army, an officer of Air Vice Marshal rank from the Air Force and the National Security Adviser to be formed by the Government of India.
