2 weeks ago
Operation Safed Sagar: How Ajay Ahuja Was Captured and Killed
Many years ago, in 1999, India and Pakistan fought a war in the high, freezing mountains of Kargil.
A Netflix show called 'Operation Safed Sagar' tells the true story of what happened, especially about an Indian Air Force pilot named Ajay Ahuja.
During the war, Ahuja's friend, Flight Lieutenant Nachiketa, had to jump out of his plane when its engine failed.
Ahuja flew his plane to try and help his friend, but a missile hit his plane.
Because it was very high and cold, Ahuja had been told not to bail out, so he carefully glided his plane down to the Indus river.
He landed safely, but soldiers from the other side quickly caught him.
Sadly, he was killed after he was captured.
An officer named Dhanoa, who told this story, says Ahuja followed every rule and did everything right.
There is a disagreement, though: a Pakistani officer said Ahuja hurt himself, but India says that is not true.
Netflix's 'Operation Safed Sagar' retells the 1999 Kargil War through Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja, played by Siddharth.
Ahuja's MiG-21 was hit by a surface-to-air missile while he tried to rescue Flight Lieutenant K Nachiketa, who had ejected from his MiG-27 after an engine failure.
ACM BS Dhanoa (Retd) says Ahuja followed the agreed plan, gliding his stricken aircraft to the Indus river and landing safely instead of ejecting at high altitude.
Indian forces at the Devil's Eye post saw Ahuja land and be surrounded by Pakistan's Northern Light Infantry Regiment before he was killed.
His postmortem in Srinagar showed two bullet wounds; a Pakistani officer claimed he shot himself, while Dhanoa insists he was killed in captivity.
- Who
- Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja, an Indian Air Force pilot, and his wingman Flight Lieutenant K Nachiketa; their story is told by ACM BS Dhanoa (Retd) for the Netflix series 'Operation Safed Sagar.'
- What
- Ahuja's MiG-21 was hit by a surface-to-air missile while trying to rescue Nachiketa; he glided it to the Indus river, landed safely, and was captured and subsequently killed by Pakistani forces.
- Where
- The Kargil region, over Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and the Indus river; Ahuja's postmortem was conducted in Srinagar.
- When
- During the Kargil War in 1999; Dhanoa recounted the events in an interview recorded in January 2026.
- Why
- Ahuja descended to keep an eye on Nachiketa's crash site, bringing his aircraft within the effective engagement range of a surface-to-air missile.
Indian Air Force account
Pakistani claim and critics
How Ajay Ahuja died
Indian Air Force account
Indian forces at the Devil's Eye post saw Ahuja land safely and get surrounded; Dhanoa says he was killed in cold blood by Pakistani forces, and the series depicts him being brutally tortured before death.
Pakistani claim and critics
Pakistani officer Sabir Malik claimed Ahuja shot himself; Dhanoa rejected this, citing the second bullet wound and arguing a pilot never dies of a small-arms injury except after capture.
Did Ahuja follow correct procedures?
Indian Air Force account
Dhanoa insists Ahuja did 'everything right' - not ejecting at high altitude and gliding to the river was the agreed plan, and mistakes are only visible in hindsight.
Pakistani claim and critics
Critics suggest Ahuja could have turned 120 degrees towards India instead of 60 degrees towards Pakistan-occupied Kashmir after his aircraft reached the river.
Key facts
- Series
- Operation Safed Sagar (Netflix)
- Subject
- Kargil War 1999 and Indian Air Force sacrifices
- Lead character
- Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja, played by Siddharth
- Ahuja's aircraft
- MiG-21 hit by a surface-to-air missile
- Rescue target
- Flight Lieutenant K Nachiketa, ejected from a MiG-27 after engine failure
- Landing site
- Indus river, in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir
- Cause of death
- Two bullet wounds, per postmortem conducted in Srinagar
- Key source
- ACM BS Dhanoa (Retd), played by Jimmy Shergill, in a The Lallantop interview recorded January 2026
Quotes
ACM BS Dhanoa (Retd)
Retired Air Commodore, former Indian Air Force officer
“Because he had drifted down, he came within the effective engagement envelope of the surface‑to‑air missile, so he was hit.”
indianexpress.com
“He did everything right. Unfortunately, after he ejected, he got surrounded by Northern Light Infantry Regiment (NLI).”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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