IAF chief accepts shooting down own chopper was 'big mistake'

 In an admission that may embarrass the union government, the new IAF chief Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria accepted on Friday morning that shooting down the Indian chopper in Jammu and Kashmir earlier this year was a "big mistake".

An Mi17 V5 chopper was shot down at Budgam near Srinagar on February 27. It was just a day after the Indian Air Force fighters went deep inside Pakistani territory and bombed a terror camp at Balakot following the terror attack on CRPF convoy killing 40 troopers.

The chopper downing led to the death of six IAF personnel and a civilian.

"It was a big mistake on our part. We accept it," the new Air Chief said. The IAF Boss added that a Court of inquiry was initiated and was completed last week.