JHUNJHUNU: Two Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots lost their lives on Wednesday afternoon when a Jaguar trainer aircraft crashed during a routine training sortie near Bhanuda village in Rajasthan’s Churu district, reports Ashok Singh Shekhawat.
The aircraft had taken off from the Suratgarh airbase near Sriganganagar and went down around 12:40 pm with a loud explosion, triggering panic in the surrounding area. This marks the third Jaguar crash since March.
The IAF confirmed the deaths in a post on X, stating that both pilots sustained fatal injuries. While their names were not officially released by the Air Force, Rajasthan cabinet minister Rajyavardhan Rathore identified them as Squadron Leader Lokender Singh Sindhu and Flight Lieutenant Rishi Raj Singh in a condolence message.
The wreckage was strewn across a farmland, but no civilian casualties or property damage were reported. The crash site was quickly cordoned off by security personnel, and emergency response teams, including fire and ambulance services, reached the location promptly.
A court of inquiry has been ordered to determine the cause of the crash. Churu SP Jai Yadav confirmed that efforts are ongoing to recover and document the scattered debris. Rajaldesar SHO Kamlesh reported the discovery of human remains at the site, while district officials supervised the recovery operation.
Despite its age, the Jaguar aircraft — originally developed in the 1960s and inducted into the IAF in 1979 — remains in service and is expected to continue flying until around 2040. According to the Aviation Safety Network, at least 12 Jaguar jets have crashed in the past decade.
In April, another Jaguar trainer crashed in Jamnagar, Gujarat, killing one pilot. A similar incident in March in Ambala saw the pilot eject safely following a technical snag.
Rajasthan Governor Haribhau Bagde, Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, and former CM Ashok Gehlot have expressed deep condolences over the tragic loss of life.
