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Flying MiG-21 violates fundamental right to life, officer tells High Court

Flying a MiG-21 amounted to ‘violation of his fundamental right to life’, a serving wing commander has told the Delhi high court, seeking redressal after a regular flight exercise in 2005 went awry, leaving him with debilitating neck and back pain that has rendered him unfit for flying and even day-to-day tasks.

The court on Tuesday directed the Centre to provide a list of MiG-21 crashes that have taken place till date and posted the matter for 10 October, 2013. The petition was filed by Sanjeet Singh Kaila, a serving officer in the Indian Air Force, who cited ‘violation of his fundamental right to life, especially the right to work in a safe environment’ under Article 21 of the Constitution.

In his plea, Kaila said he was posted at Air Force Station Nal in Rajasthan as a Squadron Leader in 2005. On 4 January that year, he embarked on a regular flight exercise along with three other pilots.

‘Immediately after take-off, the petitioner experienced a drift to the left side of the aircrafty, the petitioner was informed by the other pilot flying the second aircraft, of a fire at the rear end of his aircraft.'
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