Saharanpur (Uttar Pradesh), March 31
Mr Vinod Kumar Yadav, a constable with the Haryana Armed Police, had been personal security officer of the well-known industrialist-turned-politician, Mr Om Prakash Jindal, since 1991.
Even he could not save Mr Jindal from the clutches of death today when the helicopter in which they were flying crashed in the fields of Mehngi village, about 50 km from here this afternoon. Mr Jindal, who became Haryana’s Power Minister this month only, along with the State Agriculture Minister, Mr Surender Singh, and a personal friend, Mr Ved Goyal, was flying from Chandigarh to Delhi when the unfortunate accident happened. Mr Jindal, Mr Surender Singh and the pilot, Capt T.S. Chauhan, lost their lives in the accident. Mr Goyal and Mr Yadav suffered injuries.
Mr Yadav, who has been admitted to Gupta’s Hospital here with multiple fractures in ribs, told TNS that the chopper took off from Chandigarh at 11-50 a.m.
The flight was normal. The pilot, Capt T.S. was briefing his VIP passengers about the places over which the chopper was flying. Even politics was being discussed.
Capt Chauhan, who belonged to Karnal district, showed the Sarsawa airfield to Mr Jindal and Mr Surender Singh. He explained to them that from Sarsawa, they would take a detour to Delhi. After about 40 minutes’ flying, the chopper suddenly developed a technical snag. Its rotter stopped.
Mr Yadav said the pilot decided to make an emergency landing. He expertly brought down the maroon-coloured chopper to about 100 feet above the ground. Suddenly the chopper turned on the side and crashed. He said Mr Jindal and Mr Surender Singh were sitting on the side which hit the ground. He himself was saved by the safety belt. Somehow he managed to open the latch of the safety belt and came out of the broken window screen.
Mr Yadav said within no time villagers had reached the site and he lost consciousness. He is still not aware of the fate of Mr Jindal, Mr Surender Singh and Capt Chauhan.
No one has the heart to tell him that the person to whom he was so much attached is no more.
