BHOPAL: A non-explosive aerial store was inadvertently dropped from an Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft on Friday, causing significant damage to a house at a residential area in the Pichhore town of Madhya Pradesh's Shivpuri district.
The incident occurred at around 11 am when a heavy unidentified metal object fell from the sky, damaging two rooms and the terrace of the house belonging to Manoj Sagar, a resident of Thakur Baba Colony.
A car parked outside the house was also damaged. Fortunately, there were no fatalities or serious injuries.
“I was having lunch with my two sons and my wife was in the kitchen. There was a sound of some aircraft flying in the sky followed by something big falling from the sky on our house, ultimately resulting in the near total collapse of the entire house. Two rooms have been totally damaged along with the roof. Even my wife has suffered slight injuries. Our car standing outside too has been damaged,” said Sagar, recounting the incident.
Police personnel arrived at the scene and took Sagar’s wife to hospital. She is said to be out of danger. “She has suffered abrasion injuries due to ricocheting of the material which fell aerially on the house,” said Prashant Sharma, Sub-Divisional Officer of Police, Pichhore.
A team of officials and experts from the IAF base in the neighbouring Gwalior district reached the site by around 3.30 pm and remained there late into the evening to collect samples and examine the impact.
“The team of around eight to nine officials and experts reached here at around 3.30 pm and are still at the spot, collecting samples from the ground. After thorough investigation only,” a senior Shivpuri district police officer told TNIE.
The Indian Air Force later confirmed the incident in a statement.
“The IAF regrets the damage caused today (Friday) to property on ground, near Shivpuri, by the inadvertent drop of a non-explosive aerial store from an IAF aircraft, and has instituted an inquiry into the incident,” the IAF Media Coordination Centre said.