Breaking: On Monday, a MiG-21 fighter plane crashed near Hanumangarh in Rajasthan. Three locals lost their lives when the craft smashed into their home. On the other hand, the pilot managed to eject from the aircraft on time and reported safe. Due to some technical issues, the aircraft crashed.
Hanumangarh SP Sudheer Choudhary said, “Two women died on the spot while a third, who was critically injured, died in the hospital. Three persons sustained injuries too.”
The victims were identified as Leela Devi, 55, Rampratap’s wife; Bansho Kaur, 45, Ratan Singh alias Ratiram’s wife; and Banto, 60, Lal Singh’s wife. The injured are being treated at a public hospital.
A MiG-21 aircraft of the IAF crashed near Suratgarh during a routine training sortie. The pilot ejected safely, sustaining minor injuries. An inquiry has been constituted to ascertain the cause of the accident: Indian Air Force pic.twitter.com/sP37zmo7k0
— ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2023
Kuldeep Moond, former sarpanch of Bahlolnagar said, “Women were not related. They were at Bansho Kaur’s home when the aircraft crashed.”
In a statement, the IAF said, “A MiG-21 fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed today morning at about 0945 hours. The aircraft had got airborne for a routine operational training sortie from the Air Force Station at Suratgarh. Soon thereafter, the pilot experienced an onboard emergency, following which he attempted to recover the aircraft as per existing procedures.”
They added, “Having failed to do so, he initiated an ejection, sustaining minor injuries in the process. The pilot was recovered from about 25 kilometres North East of Suratgarh’s base. The aircraft wreckage fell on a house in Bahlol Nagar in Hanumangarh district, unfortunately leading to the loss of three lives.”
While addressing the family the IAF said, “Regrets the loss of lives and offers its deepest condolences.”
राजस्थान के हनुमानगढ़ में वायुसेना का मिग-21 विमान हुआ क्रैश
हादसे में हुई 2 लोगों की मौत#Rajasthan #Hanumangarh #MiG21 pic.twitter.com/uaauTJPT7e
— News24 (@news24tvchannel) May 8, 2023
SP Choudhary said, “The rescue operation has been completed and the bodies have been removed from the spot. An officer of Wing Commander rank has also reached the spot.”
Bansho’s daughters Saroj and Vimla, both about 18 years old, and Veerpal Kaur, 32, suffered critical injuries, while a few others suffered minor injuries. The brother-in-law of Bansho. Seturam stated that one of his nieces is blind and is being treated by physicians, while the other is also in critical condition.
#RajasthanNews : हनुमानगढ़ में एयरफोर्स का MiG-21 विमान क्रैश, घर पर गिरने से दो महिलाओं की मौत, पायलट सुरक्षितhttps://t.co/hCLgCV4RPk
— News24 (@news24tvchannel) May 8, 2023
According to Seturam, the administration has promised an ex gratia sum of Rs 5 lakh to each of the deceased’s families. All of the impacted families are below the poverty line, so the government should also provide jobs to the next of kin, according to Kuldeep.
