Corporal Pankaj Kumar

On 27 Feb 2019, the unit was tasked with one more such mission in support of ongoing joint operations of Army and IAF in J&K. Cpl Pankaj Kumar along with other aircrew including Cpl Deepak Pandey, Sgt Vikrant Sahrawat and Sgt Vishal Kumar Pandey were detailed for an air support mission being flown by Wg Cdr Sidharth Vashisht as captain and Sqn Ldr Ninad Mandavgane as co-pilot.  The crew after having gone through their preparatory checks got ready to take off as per the operational plan on 27 Feb 2019.  The Mi-17 V-5 aircraft (ZP-5220) took off as planned at 1000 hrs but soon after flying for nearly 10 minutes crashed in an open field near Garend Kalaan village in Budgam district about 10 km from the Srinagar International Airport. The helicopter broke into pieces and caught fire which made it impossible to save the crew members. All six valiant air warriors could not survive and laid down their lives in the service of the nation. Subsequent investigation revealed that the ill-fated Mi-17 V-5 was hit by the SPYDER ("Surface-to-air Python and Derby"), the IAF's short and medium-range mobile air defence system, in an operationally charged environment by mistake. Cpl Pankaj Kumar was a valiant and committed air warrior, who laid down his life at the age of 26 years in the line of his duty. Cpl Pankaj Kumar was awarded 'Mention-in-Despatches" (Posthumously) for his commendable courage, and supreme sacrifice.