When A Pakistani Fighter Jet Killed The Gujarat CM And His Wife, Blamed It On A 'Mistake'

News18

02-05-2025

Last Updated:
Following the tragedy, India mourned not just the loss of a leader, but the broader risks posed to civilian life during periods of military escalation.
Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated sharply following the brutal terrorist attack in the Baisaran Valley of J&K's Pahalgam on April 22 that left 27 people dead. As India vows accountability for the perpetrators of the attack, Pakistan has heightened security along the border and the Line of Control, amid concerns of potential cross-border fallout.
While both nations have experienced periods of strain over the decades, the current climate has evoked memories of a particularly somber chapter in their shared history – an incident during the 1965 Indo-Pak war that claimed the life of Gujarat's Chief Minister, Balwantrai Mehta.
On September 19, 1965, at the height of that conflict, Mehta boarded a Beechcraft aircraft from Ahmedabad, headed to Mithapur for a routine visit. Accompanying him were his wife Sarojben, aides, a journalist, and two crew members. The aircraft was flying near the Rann of Kutch, close to the international border, when it was mistakenly identified by Pakistani radar as a potential threat.
Two Pakistani Air Force pilots, flying F-86 Sabre jets, were dispatched to investigate. Despite the civil nature of the aircraft, it was targetted and shot down, killing all eight on board. The loss of Mehta, a respected statesman and proponent of grassroots democracy through India's Panchayati Raj system, sent shockwaves through the nation.
At the time, Pakistan described the incident as a wartime 'mistake". While one of the pilots later expressed personal remorse in a letter written decades afterward, no formal apology or acknowledgment came from the Pakistani state.
In the days that followed, India mourned not just the loss of a leader, but the broader risks posed to civilian life during periods of military escalation. Mehta's death, though tied to an era of conventional warfare, remains a reminder of how quickly miscalculation and mistrust can result in tragedy.
Today, with tempers running high again in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack, the 1965 incident offers more than just a historical echo – it stands as a cautionary tale. As both countries navigate another period of volatility, the focus, many hope, will remain on de-escalation and justice, rather than confrontation.
First Published:
May 02, 2025, 13:20 IST