Plane hit kills owner

Love for photography cost a businessman his life after he was hit by his own plane at an air strip in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut district, about 450 km from here, on Saturday.

Mukesh Garg, who was taking shots, reportedly came too close to the runway at Partapur air strip, and was hit by the small four-seat plane, while it was landing, according to police sources. The pilot and the co-pilot, who were friends of Garg, suffered minor injuries.

The air strip was not used for commercial purposes but businessmen and traders use it for joyrides. On Saturday, Garg and two friends had arrived for joyride at the air strip. Garg asked his two friends to go for a joyride while he got busy in shooting the aircraft.

“While taking shots, Garg accidently went too close to the runway and the aircraft landed at the same moment. Garg was thrown away by the impact of the aircraft and received serious injuries. He died on the spot,” officials said.

An inquiry has been ordered into the incident. Garg should not have been allowed to go near the runway, the officials pointed out.