Defence minister AK Antony downplayed the ongoing spat between the ministries of home and defence over the Indian Air Force’s crew abandoning an injured policeman, saying it was an “internal family matter” and advised against making a “mountain over a mole hill.”

Antony’s comments came a day after reports that home secretary RK Singh had complained about the air force crew abandoning their accompanying wireless operator in Chhattisgarh last month after he was injured.

Singh said this was extremely disturbing, a violation of standard procedures and a poor reflection of the “battle hardiness” of the personnel.

The home ministry had asked for an inquiry and appropriate action.

Antony said the Indian Air Force had carried out 172 evacuations earlier in naxal-hit zones and there were no complaints.

Cabinet Secy on 2-day visit to Jharkhand
In a move aimed at giving development a hard push in Jharkhand, cabinet secretary Ajit Kumar Seth and more than a dozen secretary-rank officers will travel to Jharkhand on 8 February on a two-day visit.

This is the high-level central team’s first visit to the state after President’s Rule was imposed on the state on January 18.

Government sources said the meet was expected to bring the focus of the administration, long paralysed due to political uncertainty, back to good governance.