IAF martyr's body flown to UP

Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh, Nov 15 (UNI) The mortal remains of Indian Air Force Sergeant Mustafa Ali, who was martyred in naxal violence during first-phase polls in 39 assembly constituencies of Chhattisgarh yesterday, were sent to Kanpur by an IAF aircraft today after postmortem here.

Tributes were paid to Sgt Ali at the Police Lines this morning.

Sgt Ali, who was aboard a Mi-8 helicopter, was martyred in Bijapur district's Pidiya after Maoists directed a heavy volume of groundfire at the copter. The ultras fired around 40 rounds and the Sergeant sustained a gunshot wound to the head after a bullet passed through the windshield.

The chopper is being subjected to forensic analysis. Ten IAF helicopters had been requisitioned for the hustings for carrying polling teams and personnel.

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