Indian police in WW II plane hunt

The Messerschmitt was used by the Germans in WW II

By Habib Beary BBC reporter in Bangalore

Police in the southern Indian state of Karnataka have begun looking for the remains of a vintage World War II fighter aircraft given to the former Nizam (ruler) of the princely state of Hyderabad in 1941 by the Royal Air Force.

Police suspect that the fighter - a Messerschmitt BF-109 used extensively by Hitler's air force - may have been shipped to London by an antiques dealer.

The aircraft had been in the possession of an engineering college which allegedly traded it as scrap.

The local superintendent of police, Alok Kumar, told the BBC that a case has been registered against the management of a local engineering college and an antique dealer based in Bangalore for misappropriation of public property.

Fugitive dealer

The police official said a general alert notice for the missing aircraft was being sent to all the states in the country, particularly the neighbouring states of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu.

The aircraft with the distinct Nazi swastika mark was given to the Nizam of Hyderabad in 1941 by the RAF and later found its way to the engineering college run by the Hyderabad Karnataka Education Society.

Officials of the society said the aircraft was in a bad condition and it was traded early this year as scrap to an antique dealer.

Superintendent Kumar said a police team from Gulbarga carried out a raid on a place near Bangalore where it was said to be hidden.

But police have not yet been able to trace the aircraft or question the man.

A team has been sent to Hyderabad to look for him as he hails from Andhra Pradesh.

The police began investigations after a local politician, SK Kantha, filed a complaint against the educational society for trading the plane in violation of the Antiques and Art Treasures act.

Mr Kantha also has written to Defence Minister George Fernandes seeking an inquiry.