INDIA: CAPTURED AIR FORCE PILOT RETURNS HOME

Record ID: 1377463

  • Title: INDIA: CAPTURED AIR FORCE PILOT RETURNS HOME
  • Date: 4th June 1999
  • Summary: WAGAH, PUNJAB, INDIA (JUNE 4, 1999) (ANI) GV/CU: INDIAN SIDE OF WAGAH BORDER/ FLAG (2 SHOTS) GV: GATE MCU: INDIAN OFFICIALS WAITING MV/GV: FLIGHT LIEUTENANT K. NACHIKETA SITTING WITH PAKISTANI OFFICIALS (2 SHOTS) MCU: AN INDIAN ARMYMAN WITH A BOUQUET GV: NACHIKETA WITH PAKISTANI OFFICIALS ARRIVING AT GATE GV/TV/PAN: NACHIKETA ENTERING INDIAN SIDE (2 SHOTS) CU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) NACHIKETA SAYING: "Right now, I'd not like to comment anything. Otherwise, I am feeling very nice. It is something like coming hack to jannat (heaven)". NEW DELHI, INDIA (JUNE 4, 1999) (ANI) SV/PAN: CAR ARRIVING AT PRIME MINISTER ATAL BEHARI VAJPAYEE'S RESIDENCE GV: NACHIKETA SHAKING HANDS WITH VAJPAYEE GV: NACHIKETA WITH PARENTS MCU: NACHIKETA AND HIS FATHER/ VAJPAYEE (2 SHOTS) GV/SV: WIDE SHOT/ PHOTOGRAPHERS (2 SHOTS) MV: (SOUNDBITE) (English) NACHIKETA SAYING: "I ejected before him (Indian pilot Ahuja who died). After that I was not permitted access to media. Only version I have is that of the Pakistani version, which is obviously incorrect. So I'm not sure... No, I was not hit by a missile. I had an engine problem." MV: (SOUNDBITE) (English) VAJPAYEE SAYING: "We'd like the talks to succeed. It depends on Pakistan, what they want." SCU: CAMERAMAN/ CROWD ENTER HOUSE (2 SHOTS) Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 13th November 2014 23:01
  • Keywords:
  • Location: WAGAH, PUNJAB AND NEW DELHI, INDIA
  • Country: India
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA3SRVBX69SLGOS9XTJK1JL6XM7
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: The pilot of an Indian fighter jet shot down in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir last week has arrived back in New Delhi.
    The Indian Air Force pilot, Flight Lieutenant K.
    Nachiketa , who was released by Pakistan on Thursday (June 3), said he would like to go back to the border to complete the mission.
    Nachiketa was talking to reporters after he reached New Delhi from the Wagah border.
    "I'm a soldier," Nachiketa said when asked whether he was a hero.
    On being asked whether he would go back to complete his mission, he replied: "Definately.As soon as possible."
    Defence Minister George Fernandes and Nachiketa's parents were at the airport to welcome him.Nachiketa was taken straight to residence of Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee from the airport.
    Nachiketa denied his fighter aircraft was hit by a missile.
    "No, I was not hit by a missile.I had an engine problem,"
    he told reporters at the residence of Vajpayee.
    Pakistan says it shot down his MiG-27 fighter jet after it crossed into its airspace while New Delhi says he ejected into Pakistan's side of Kashmir after the aircraft's engine failed.
    Another Indian Air Force pilot died after his plane was hit by a missile.Pakistan returned his body on May 28.
    "I ejected before him (Indian pilot Ahuja who died).
    After that I was not permitted access to media.The only version I have is that of the Pakistani version, which is obviously incorrect.So I'm not sure."
    Prime Minister Vajpayee said he would like talks with Pakistan to succeed.
    Pakistani Foreign Minister Sartaj Aziz is likely to travel to New Delhi for talks on defusing the crisis in Kashmir early next week.
    "We'd like the talks to succeed.It depends on Pakistan, what they want," Vajpayee replied to a question.
    Earlier Flight Lieutenant K.Nachiketa was handed back to India in the border town of Wagah on Friday.
    The freed airman was greeted by a relative, air force officers and local politicians after being delivered by Pakistani border guards to the checkpoint which lies between the Pakistani city of Lahore and Amritsar in India.
    Nachiketa, wearing light green shirt and cream trousers, entered Indian territory at 5.17 p.m.(local time) Nachiketa refused to say anything except that: "I'm feeling very nice.It is something like coming back to Jannat (heaven)."
    Pakistan handed Nachiketa over on Thursday night to the International Committee of the Red Cross, which later released him to the Indian High Commission in Pakistan.
    Nachiketa has been in captivity since his plane went down a week ago while participating in strikes on what India says are Pakistan-backed militants that had crossed into the Indian portion of the disputed Kashmir region.
  • Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
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