Two IAF pilots killed in Jaguar fighter jet crash near Churu in Rajasthan
Jaipur/New Delhi, Jul 9 (PTI): Two pilots of the Indian Air Force (IAF) were killed on Wednesday morning in a crash of a Jaguar fighter jet near Churu in Rajasthan, 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.
"An IAF Jaguar Trainer aircraft met with an accident during a routine training mission and crashed near Churu in Rajasthan, today," it said in a brief statement.
"Both pilots sustained fatal injuries in the accident. No damage to any civil property has been reported," it said.
The IAF said it "deeply regrets" the loss of lives and stands firmly with the bereaved families in this time of grief.
"A court of inquiry has been constituted, to ascertain the cause of the accident," it said.
The IAF is yet to make public the names of the deceased pilots.
Earlier, Rajasthan Police officials said the jet crashed at around 1.25 pm.
The aircraft crashed in an agriculture field in Bhanoda village around 1.25 pm, SHO of Rajaldesar, Kamlesh, said. He said human body parts were found near the crash site.
Shortly after the crash, locals rushed to the site and found burning debris.
Policemen from Rajaldesar and Ratangarh police stations, fire brigade and ambulance also rushed to the spot, Ratangarh Circle Officer Anil Kumar said.
It was the third incident involving Jaguar aircraft.
On March 7, a Jaguar fighter jet crashed following a system malfunction shortly after taking off from the Ambala air base. The pilot had maneuvered the aircraft away from any habitation on 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 licence in the country.
The French Air Force flew the jet until July 2005, while the Royal Air Force used it till the end of April 2007.
🚨45 years old IAF Jaguar fighter jet crashed in Churu district of Rajasthan.
— Mohit Chauhan (@mohitlaws) July 9, 2025
Two Pilots lost their life in this crash. pic.twitter.com/UWXaJbdcxO
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Man arrested with Rs 2.54-crore heroin in Mumbai
Mumbai (PTI): Police have arrested a man and seized over 500 grams of heroin worth Rs 2.54 crore in the illicit market from him in Mumbai, officials said on Friday.
The police's Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) made the drug seizure in Santacruz in the western suburbs. The operation was conducted by the Kandivali unit of the ANC on Thursday as part of a special crackdown against drug trafficking in the area, they said.
Acting on specific inputs, an ANC team conducted a raid in Santacruz (East) and intercepted a man. During a search, the team recovered 508 grams of high-grade heroin from his possession, an official said.
The seized contraband, a highly addictive, opioid drug derived from morphine, is estimated to be worth Rs 2.54 crore in the international market, he informed.
Following the seizure, a case was registered against the man under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and he was formally placed under arrest in the early hours of Friday.
The police are currently investigating the source of the drug and trying to identify the intended recipients of the consignment, he said.
