Churu
A Jaguar fighter jet of the Indian Air Force crashed on Wednesday in Bhanuda village, Churu district, Rajasthan, killing two people.
Churu SP Jai Yadav confirmed the accident and said police teams have reached the crash site. Severely damaged human remains were found near the aircraft wreckage, and a big crater has formed where the jet hit the ground. Debris is scattered over a large area.
Villagers reported seeing the jet on fire as it fell from the sky and crashed into a field near Charanan Mohalla on Sikrali Road. Pieces of the burning aircraft spread within a 200-foot radius, drawing large crowds from nearby villages who rushed to the scene.
Locals believe that one or two personnel might have been inside the jet during the crash, but official confirmation from the Air Force is still awaited.
This is the third Jaguar crash this year. Earlier, a Jaguar crashed in Haryana’s Panchkula on March 7 and another one went down near Jamnagar, Gujarat, on April 2.
The Jaguar is a twin-engine, ground-attack fighter jet, used for bombing and close support. It is available in single and twin-seat versions. Even though it is an older aircraft, the IAF still uses Jaguars actively after multiple upgrades over the years.
The sudden crash has shocked local villagers and raised safety concerns about these aging jets.