A MiG-21 aircraft crashed and crumbled down on thatched roofs of the huts at Bhalolnagar village of the Hanumangarh district in Rajasthan on Monday leaving three women dead and two others injured.
The pilot of the aircraft, however, was able to eject and land on the ground safely with minor injuries.
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The IAF’s MiG-21, which was on a routine sortie, crashed mid air at around 9:40 am with its splintered parts falling down on the huts. This led to the entire pocket engulfing in fire, the Superintendent of Police in Hanumangarh Sudhir Choudhary told SNS when contacted.
The injured pilot was admitted to the Military hospital. The fire was extinguished soon after by the villagers and rescuers.
The deceased were identified as Leelawati alias Leela, 61, Bansho Kaur, 45, and Banto Kaur, 60 and they were resident of ward number 3 of Bahlolnagar, the Station House Officer of Pilibanga Vijay Kumar Meena, who was among the rescue operations, told the Statesman. The bodies of the dead were kept in a mortuary of the Government Hospital in Pilibanga.
The injured were identified as Bimla, 18, and Manjeet Kaur, 32, who were admitted to the district hospital and were said to be out of danger, the SHO said.
Meanwhile, in a Tweet IAF-MCC said, “A MiG-21 aircraft of the IAF crashed near Suratgarh during a routine training sortie today morning. The pilot ejected safely, sustaining minor injuries. An inquiry has been constituted to ascertain the cause of the accident”.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, in his tweet, expressed grief over the death of three women after the MiG-21 crash. He assured that the deceased would be given compensation under the Chiranjeevi Swasthya Beena yojna soon.
