Habibur Rahman's version of the air crash

Mr Habibur Rahman (Netaji's adjutant) after plane accident on August 18,1945 in Taipei (Formosa) reached Tokyo after some days and visited Mr. Rammurti. When he heard that Mr. S A Ayer, a minister of Provisional Government of Azad Hind was staying in the house of Mr Sahay, he went there.

It is to be recalled that hearing the news of the crash of the plane carrying Netaji, Mr Ayer had reached Tokyo and stayed in the house of Sahay. Mr Habib too was accommodated there with Mr Ayer who was living on the upper floor of Sahay's house. Mr Habib had burn injury, so Mrs Sahay managed to get him medically treated by a local physician at her residence secretly.

Mr Habib narrated the whole history of his air journey along with Netaji and about plane crash before Mrs Sahay and her family members. According to Mr Habib, Netaji's plane a heavy bomber (Model 92-2 sally) belonging to the Japanese third air force took off from Saigon aerodrome at around 5:30 pm on August 17,1945 and stopped over in Tourne enroute.

In the plane besides Netaji there were twelve persons
Including crewmembers of the plane. The whole party stayed in the night in the Morim Hotel. They took off at about 5 am in the following morning and arrived at the Taipeh aerodrome the same day at about noon.

They took rest for two hours during which the plane was refueled. Netaji and his party took a light lunch of sandwiches and bananas. At about 2:30 p.m. the plane took off and made a steep ascent when a loud explosion was heard and the plane titled to the left.

The propeller and the port engine fell out and the plane dived to the ground. It crashed to the ground approximately ten to twenty meters away from the boundary of the aerodrome and then burst into flames. Netaji, Habib and other injured persons were treated in Nanmon Army Hospital, Taipeh.

On August 18,1945 shortly after 8 p.m. Netaji breathed his last.

According to Mr. Habib, Netaji retained consciousness in the beginning and uttered Miju, Miju. Miju is a Japanese word, which means water. Then he called Hassan, Hassan. It is to be recalled that Abid Hassan had accompanied Netaji from Germany to Japan. As Hassan was not on the spot, Habib came before Netaji and told that he was Habib. After that conversation, Netaji lost consciousness and did not regain it.

As Mrs. Sahay was then living along with her minor children, against the wishes of her, Mr. Habib and Mr. Ayer left the house of Mr. Sahay and shifted to a lodge where Indian cadets were residing. Both of them acted so in order to save her from any trouble from Britishers.

At the time of leaving the house of Mr. Sahay, Mr. Habib wrote the last word spoken by Netaji in Mrs. Sahay's autograph book (document enclosed), his photograph with a brief note expressing his thanks for the affection shown to him by the family members of Mr. Sahay.

Boots of Netaji kept in the house of Mr. Sahay were handed over to Netaji Museum, Calcutta (document enclosed).

When the plane met accident gold and jewellery of INA scattered around the crash site, which were collected and kept in two suitcases. Those were brought to Tokyo and kept in the house of Mr. Rammurti, which was later on handed over to Government of India.