For him, Nallamala brings back sad memories

When Ballav Narayan Sahu, a chemist in Orissa's Kendrapara town, heard about the chopper crash in Nallamala forest that killed Y S R Reddy, it brought back a tragic memory.

Thirteen years ago, his younger brother Sanatan Sahu, a squadron leader, had met the same fate, in the same dense forest. Sanatan was among 22 IAF personnel killed in the air crash. They were travelling in an AVRO Hawker Siddeley 748 aircraft when it crashed into a mountain in the Nallamala forest on December 24, 1996. They were returning to Hyderabad from Chennai.

"I can feel and visualise the grief and shock of the family members of those killed in the crash," Ballav Narayan said.

Sanatan's body was badly charred. "We could only assume about his identity from his burnt clothes. He was about to be promoted to the rank of wing commander a month later," said Ballav Narayan's wife Manorama.

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