IAF pilot Air Vice Marshal BK Bishnoi, who bombed Pak Government House at Dacca, passes away

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 18

The Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot Air Vice Marshal BK Bishnoi, who led the mission to bomb Pakistan Government House at Dacca during the 1971 war died on Saturday.

His family hailed from Fazilka in Punjab. He was commissioned into the IAF in 1953.

AVM Bishnoi, a Wing Commander during the 1971 war, was awarded Vir Chakra, the third highest war-time gallantry award. This was his second Vir Chakra, the first being during the 1965 Indo-Pak war.

During the 1971 war he was commanding officer of the IAF squadron in the eastern sector. “On the December 14, 1971, he raided military targets in Dacca (Dhaka) in spite of intense ground fire. His attacks on the Government House at Dacca carried out with accuracy,” his citationread.

He also led 10 sorties against heavily defended enemy positions in the Comilla Sector in East Pakistan Earlier two bombing mission over Tazegaon airfield destroyed the runway Pak transport aircraft on ground.

During the 1965 war with Pakistan he was based at Halwara, Punjab and was part of the counter attack which bombed an ammunition carrying Pakistan train Raiwind railway station. He carried out 16 operational missions in the Kasur/Lahore sector.

He destroyed or damaged at least 10 enemy tanks and his aircraft was hit on three different occasions by the enemy ground fire, his citation read.

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