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Squadron Leader Lokender Singh, who died in the Jaguar fighter jet crash near Churu, had become a father just a month ago. He was the youngest among three siblings.
Churu: People gather as an Indian Air Force (IAF) chopper lands at an area where an IAF Jaguar Trainer aircraft crashed (Photo: PTI)
One of the two pilots of the Indian Air Force (IAF), who died in a crash of a Jaguar fighter jet near Churu in Rajasthan, had become a father just a month back.
According to The Times Of India, Squadron Leader Lokender Singh’s wife had delivered a baby boy on June 10 and was still at her maternal home when the news of her husband’s death broke.
The Squadron Leader was a resident of Rohtak in Haryana, and had got married during the Covid times, the report claimed, adding that he was commissioned into the Indian Air Force in 2016.
Lokender Singh was the youngest among his three siblings, according to the report. While his brother works at a multinational company (MNC), his sister recently completed her tenure as a short-service commissioned officer in the air force.
The Jaguar fighter jet crash on Wednesday was the third such accident since March involving the twin-engine bomber.
The IAF said a court of inquiry has been constituted to ascertain the cause of the accident.
Shortly after the crash, locals rushed to the site and found burning debris.
Policemen from Rajaldesar and Ratangarh police stations, a fire brigade and an ambulance also rushed to the spot.
On March 7, a Jaguar fighter jet crashed following a system malfunction shortly after taking off from the Ambala air base. The pilot had manoeuvred the aircraft away from any habitation on the ground before ejecting safely.
On April 2, another Jaguar jet crashed at a village near Jamnagar IAF station in Gujarat following a technical snag. The aircraft was on a training mission.
One pilot was killed in the accident while the other sustained injuries.
Jaguar is a British-French fighter aircraft that was originally deployed in the British Royal Air Force and the French Air Force. The first flight of the Jaguar took place on September 8, 1968.
India started inducting the jet in the late 70s.
India inducted 116 Jaguars, out of which 70 were produced under license in the country.
ALSO READ | 3 Crashes Since March, 50+ Mishaps In 45 Years, Time To Phase Out The Jets?
Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.
Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.
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