Lynching of IAF personnel’s father unfortunate: Air chief

New Delhi: Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha on Saturday termed as an “unfortunate incident” the lynching of the father of an IAF personnel in Dadri in Uttar Pradesh and said officers were in touch with the family.

He also said that the family will be moved to a safe area soon.

“It was an unfortunate incident, for anyone, especially a serving air force personnel. Senior air force officers are in touch with the family of the air warrior and providing help,” the Indian Air Force chief said at the annual conference ahead of Air Force Day on October 8.

“We are trying to move the air warrior’s family out of the place, to a secure air force area,” he said.

The IAF chief said they have been in touch with the district administration but ruled out writing to the state or central government on the issue.

“Writing to the state government or the central government in this matter is superfluous because everybody has understood that such things cannot be accepted. Adequate action is being taken by the governments,” Raha said.

“We are in touch with the district authorities. There is no need to write additionally,” he said.

Raha said he will also try to meet the family.

On Monday night, 50-year-old Mohammad Akhlaq, a resident of Bisara village of Dadri in Greater Noida, near Delhi, was dragged out of his home and lynched following rumours that he ate beef.

Akhlaq’s eldest son, Sartaj, is with the IAF. The dead man’s family has denied killing a cow. It said that the victim only ate mutton.