Air Force Vice Chief S B Deo shoots self on the thigh, admitted to hospital

New Delhi, Sep 27: Vice chief of the Indian Air Force, Air Marshal SB Deo has accidentally shot himself in the thigh. He is in RR Hospital, Delhi and is stable.

Deo, who was recently in news for backing the Rafale deal is slated to retire on September 30. Commissioned as a fighter pilot in June 1979, Deo took charge as the IAF vice-chief in January 2017.

He was commissioned as a fighter pilot and is an alumnus of the prestigious National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla and Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) Wellington.

A Fight Combat Leader (FCL), he has completed about 3800 hours of flying. He was the Air Officer Commanding (AOC) of a premier airbase and also commanded a Mig-21 Bison squadron.

Prior to assuming the office of the Vice Chief of Air Staff (VCOAS), he was the Air Officer Commanding in Chief (AOC-in-C) of the Western Air Command.