Jaipur | A MiG-21 fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force crashed into a house in Hanumangarh, Rajasthan on Monday morning, killing three women. Police said pilot Rahul Arora (25) saved his life by ejecting in time with the help of a parachute. He has been sent to Suratgarh with minor injuries.
The deceased have been identified as Bashokour (45), Banto (60), and Leela Devi (55).
A MiG-21 fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed at around 09:45 am today, police said. The aircraft had taken off for routine operational training from the Air Force Station in Suratgarh. Shortly thereafter, the pilot experienced an onboard emergency, following which he attempted to recover the aircraft as per existing procedures.
Failing to do so, the pilot ejected in time, suffering minor injuries. The pilot was found about 25 km northeast of the Suratgarh base.
In a statement, the Indian Air Force said, the wreckage of the aircraft fell on a house in Bahalol Nagar of Hanumangarh district, unfortunately, three people lost their lives in this accident. The Indian Air Force has expressed its deepest condolences to the bereaved families. A Court of Inquiry has been constituted to find out the cause of the accident.
The explosion that followed the MiG-21 crash caused the roof of another house in the neighborhood to collapse. The woman living in the same house also suffered injuries.
The relatives of the women killed in the accident are adamant about demanding government jobs and compensation by keeping the dead bodies.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has expressed grief over the incident.
He wrote, I am saddened by the crash of Indian Air Force’s MiG-21 aircraft in Suratgarh, in which 3 people died. I pray to God to give peace to the souls of the deceased and strength to the family members to bear this loss. Assistance will be given to the relatives of the deceased from Chiranjeevi Insurance as per the rules.
