Pak Tries To Pass Off 2015 Odisha Jet Crash As One Shot Down Today

Bhubaneswar: Pakistan’s bluff of having shot down an Indian fighter jet was exposed on Wednesday when it emerged that photos of the crash put up by them had taken place in Odisha in 2015.

As the war hysteria by Pakistani media touched a new high after the establishment there claimed to have shot down two IAF jets this morning, some media outlets including the respected The Dawn carried out the picture of the crashed site. The hollow claim was exposed by Indian media.

The Fact:

The picture has turned out to be that of a fighter trainer aircraft that crashed in Mayurbhanj district in June 2015.

The Hawk A-3492 had crashed in a paddy in field Kudarsahi village under the Bisoi police station limit in Mayurbhanj district. The jet was completely gutted in the fire. It had taken off from the Kalaikunda Air Force Station from neighbouring West Bengal.

Pakistan has thrived on false propaganda to create war hysteria like situation and inflame passion to suit its interest whenever there has been a stalemate with India. Putting up the fake picture to buttress its claim has been a part of this exercise.

In 2016, Pakistan envoy to the United Nations Maleeha Lodhi showed a photo of a girl injured by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, passing her off as a victim of Indian security forces using pellet action guns in Kashmir. Within minutes her claim was laid bare, making her eat humble pie.