Squadron Leader Ravi Khanna's Name To Be Included In War Memorial, Who Was This IAF Officer?

The Indian Air Force has approved the case to include the name of Squadron Leader Ravi Khanna on the National War Memorial. Squadron Leader Khanna was allegedly killed by separatist leader Yasin Malik. Khanna and three IAF personnel were killed on January 25, 1990 in a terror attack by JKLF terrorists.

Who was Squadron leader Ravi Khanna?

• Ravi Khanna belonged to Amritsar and was posted in Srinagar since 1978.
• In 1984, he was transferred to Tezpur, Assam.
• In 1987, he was selected for Staff College training and then was again posted back to Kashmir Valley.
• A day before Republic Day 1990, car-borne terrorists opened fire at Squadron Leader Ravi Khanna and three of his colleagues in Rawalpora near Srinagar. 
• The Squadron Leader, who was 38-year-old at that time, was shot 27 times with an AK-47 assault rifle.

Squadron Leader Khanna was allegedly killed by separatist leader Yasin Malik, who had given up guns in mid-90s and is currently the chief of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front. During investigation, several eyewitnesses identified Malik, among others, as being responsible for the firing, reports ThePrint. In an interview with a magazine, his wife, Nirmal Khanna had asked whether Ravi's name was there in the National War Memorial. Finally, she might see her husband's name among martyrs. 

Moreover, the National War Memorial in Delhi has the names of all the defence personnel killed in different operations on its walls.