‘Once Again a Martyr Was Killed’: Samir Abrol Remembered by Family

“Fights on always my Batman,” wrote late Squadron Leader Samir Abrol’s wife on Facebook.

Squadron leader Samir Abrol died in the Mirage 2000 aircraft crash on Friday, 1 February.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint/Kamran Akhtar)

“Someone has to risk it to show others the light,” writes Sushant Abrol, in a poem dedicated to his brother and Squadron Leader Samir Abrol, who was killed after a Mirage 2000 aircraft that he and Squadron Leader Siddharth Negi were test flying crashed at the HAL airport in Bengaluru on 1 February.

Sushant Abrol told IANS on Tuesday, 5 February, that he had penned the emotional lines while he was flying back with his brother's coffin.

In a heart-rending poem, which was initially thought to be written by Abrol’s wife Garima Abrol, the late pilot’s brother writes – in a chilling reconstruction of events – how “a martyr” fell from the sky with broken bones and how “all but a black box was found.”

The poem was uploaded on Facebook by Garima Abrol, with the lines “Proud of my husband, Fights on always as my BATMAN.”

The poem penned by Sushant Abrol. (Photo Courtesy: Twitter)

An Expression of Loss and Anger

The Abrol family, with Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at their home on Tuesday, 5 February. (Photo: ANI)

In the beautiful seven-stanza verse, Abrol blames the authorities for his brother’s death writing: “Never had he breathed so heavy, as for the last time, While the bureaucracy enjoyed its corrupt cheese and wine.”

However, he clarified to IANS that it was a comment on the system in general with no reference to anyone specific.

Abrol went on to say that the warriors of the country keep fighting with outdated machines, giving it all their heart and soul, despite the thankless nature of the job of a test pilot.

Abrol told IANS that there were eight other officers on the flight that he was on, and that he had seen tears in their eyes as they were Abrol’s course mates who had spent a lot of time with him.

“I realised it could have happened with one of them also,” he said. It is not the family’s loss but loss for the air force, for his friends, he said. “What I wrote was in the flow of things,” he added.

Abrol had uploaded a status on the social media platform, calling for support to not let his brother’s sacrifice to go in vain. The post was accompanied by a photo and a quote by Napolean Bonaparte, marking a call to action for a ‘pledge to expose the cause of #lostpilots’.

Have Faith in the IAF: Abrol’s Family

In a statement to the press on Tuesday, the Abrol family said they have faith in the IAF, and are eagerly awaiting the Court of Inquiry report.

The press statement released by the Abrol family. (Photo Courtesy: Twitter)

The statement said that Samir Abrol had served the nation passionately until his last breath and that the family had been moved by the public support and outcry that broke out after the crash.

(With inputs from IANS.)