People's Democracy

Mysterious Airdrop At Chopra

 B Prasant

THE riddle surrounding the reported airdrop of a parcel in a pond at Chopra in north Dinajpore continues to baffle the local population and the administration.

 During the early afternoon on October 3, 11 years old Mehmuda Khatoon, a resident of Muqdumgunj, a village bordering the Bangladesh border, was enjoying a swim in a large pond when she noticed two aircraft swooping down directly at her. The first aircraft, Khatoon told INN/PD, veered off while the second aircraft flew low down and dropped a parcel into the waters before climbing up and away.

 The two aircraft then executed a turn in formation and flew towards Bangladesh. In their wake, a loud bang was heard. This was probably a sonic boom high-speed aircraft emit when they accelerate to Mach 1 level.

 Following her cry of alarm, the villagers of the locality came rushing out to find the pond water foaming and in a highly agitated condition. Some people living at the eastern end of the village later informed INN/PD how they too, like young Mehmuda, had seen two high-speed aircraft zooming off towards Bangladesh after making a right turn at low level over the village.

 The administration swung into action quickly, deploying both police and Border Security Force units who promptly started combing the area for “anything suspicious.” The pond was partially drained off and divers were sent down to make a meticulous search of the muddy and vegetation-covered bottom of the big water body. Nothing could be found. 

 Enquiries with the Indian Air Force authorities revealed that no IAF aircraft was on patrol duty over north Dinajpore during the afternoon hours on the day. Sources in the IAF revealed there is little chance of an intruding aircraft getting “caught” on the radar screen if it chooses to fly low enough to evade radar coverage --- a fairly common tactic employed by fighter aircraft all over the world.

 The memories of another day some years back, when a large cache of arms was dropped over Purulia in south Bengal by gun-runners from a converted passenger aircraft, remain as yet fresh in the people’s memory. The mysterious airdrop at a stone’s throw from the Bagdogra airport has posed worrying questions before the administration as well. (INN)