When 7 Indian Air Force personnel were killed on board of a Mi-17 helicopter near Tawang, the country was united in grief. The Russian-manufactured helicopter contained supplies for a forward post of the Indian Army in the mountainous region and was on its second sortie of the day, flying at a height of 17,000 feet above sea level with 5 Air Force and 2 army personnel on board. All seven military personnel on board were killed in the crash and the bodies were brought to Khirmu helipad for medical formalities. Since the helicopter was flying close to a hilly terrain when it crashed and due to lack of resources in the region, the bodies were wrapped in plastic sacks for transportation and tied up in cartons that almost look like boxes of split ACs. Questions began to be raised as to why basic body bags could not be arranged for the army personnel. The pictures from the helipad went viral on social media after Lt Gen (retd) HS Panag began posting them on Twitter on Sunday morning triggering an online debate.
The Indian Air Force, in an official Tweet, mentioned the loss of 7 lives and the unfortunate crash:
It’s a sad moment for #IAF to confirm loss of Mi-17 V5 #Helicopter along with 07 Defence Personnel, including 05 Airwarriors,Today. pic.twitter.com/5odKsKC8e2
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) October 6, 2017
The Ministry of Defence in a public statement from the PIB said:
On 06 October, the mortal remains of the crew and the soldiers who died in the helicopter crash were collected from the wreckage and were promptly moved to the nearest helipad. Due to constraints of the carriage effort in high altitude area, helicopter cannot carry full load. Mortal remains were wrapped in available local resources instead of improvised body bags or coffins. This was an aberration.
To which the ADG PI responded with pictures of coffins wrapped in tricolour:
Mortal remains of heptr accident in HAA on 6 Oct 17 recovered, sent wrapped in local resources is an aberration. pic.twitter.com/NDvEvBo87F
— ADG PI – INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) October 8, 2017
The ADG PI also said that they were later on given full honorary funerals.
Fallen soldiers always given full military honour. Carriage of mortal remains in body bags, wooden boxes,coffins will be ensured. pic.twitter.com/XSom29pWoF
— ADG PI – INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) October 8, 2017
Lt Gen H S Panag(R), who goes by the Twitter handle @rwac48, was quick to point out the gross disrespect and dishonour:
2. Seven young men stepped out into the sunshine yesterday, to serve their motherland. India.
This is how they came home. pic.twitter.com/rlSbdpJyR4— Lt Gen H S Panag(R) (@rwac48) October 8, 2017
Lt Panag compared the military body bags that
Proper Military Body Bags must be used to transport bodies from forward locations until ceremonial coffins available https://t.co/3Oc3wMOV2a
— Lt Gen H S Panag(R) (@rwac48) October 8, 2017
Then he shared an image of a basic body bag, which couldn’t be too hard to find:
This is a proper body bag. pic.twitter.com/OtEiC3jHUL
— Lt Gen H S Panag(R) (@rwac48) October 8, 2017
But he was trolled for it because the link apparently directed to a page that said the body bags were not in stock
Ironic you send a link that says the body bags out of stock. Perhaps thats what happened. Might be better if you fact-check before trolling pic.twitter.com/6B98tWiRmd
— sushant sareen (@sushantsareen) October 8, 2017
Most people slurred accusations on General Panag, who is considered a political activist with AAP, and was accused of “abandoning ethics and military solidarity just to malign it and score political points.”
It’s people like General Panag who make me question a blanket respect for Indian Army. Bloody third grade vermin
— दिव्या (@divya_16_) October 8, 2017
We had heard of Maj.Gen. Shabeg Singh. Really unfortunate that Lt.Gen @rwac48 would stoop to this level in politics: https://t.co/lQobN3G3F5
— Akhilesh Mishra (@amishra77) October 8, 2017
Kitne roti sekonge tum aur saheedon ke chitaon pe- tum aur @rwac48 #bloodyshameful
— जय श्री राम! (@IndiaFreedom) October 8, 2017
To which Lt Panag only had one standard reply
Well said! Now get Military Body Bags authorised as standard equipment for all units/posts. https://t.co/eHo6kdtO81
— Lt Gen H S Panag(R) (@rwac48) October 8, 2017
Still, some journalists were quick to defend Lt Panag, like Nidhi Razdan for instance:
Shameful. This is how we treat the bodies of our soldiers. What kind of nationalists are we? https://t.co/l8VTkCt9uU
— Nidhi Razdan (@Nidhi) October 8, 2017
While others like Barkha Dutt just wanted an end to the debate
Thank you @adgpi for your dignified & honest response. We must close this debate and mourn those martyred in line of duty. https://t.co/x2HmpdWFfN
— barkha dutt (@BDUTT) October 8, 2017
Chief Minister of Punjab, Captain Amarinder Singh, was unhappy to see the treatment meted out towards these brave men of the country:
Shocked to see bodies of 7 @IAF_MCC & @adgpi Tawang crash victims brought in cartons. Is this how we treat our brave men? pic.twitter.com/dP5HGsRvTH
— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) October 8, 2017
While people on Twitter spewed anger towards the lack of dignity in the final send-off of these soldiers:
#FuneralExpense as per #7CPC is INR 9000. I ask, how much does a funeral cost? How much does a body bag cost? Can India afford it? @rwac48 pic.twitter.com/vVOVXmXqpV
— Priyadarshi (@MajChowdhury) October 8, 2017
Why can’t Armed Forces units be given bodybags. Nitin pls don’t defend the indefensible. Provide dignity to our KIA martyrs. https://t.co/YXyteW3jkM
— Jo (@JoBeingjoe) October 8, 2017
Aberration … you owe an apology to the country for insulting its martyrs. This looks like an arrogant statement, not one of repentence
— Murli Mohan Rao (@mmr2805) October 8, 2017
And this one tweet summed up the rest
Coffin isn’t available in the accident zone. Fine! Accepted! But why not a proper body bag?? Worst #AirForceDay ever… https://t.co/4c3lNrmOKe
— ArunaLakshmi Ramu (@ArunaRamu) October 8, 2017
The Twitter outrage managed to stir a chaos with no one direction with Lt Panag mostly being dissed for voicing his dissent. But the issue at hand is certainly an important one. Our soldiers deserve dignity in martyrdom.
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