Sqn Ldr from Rohtak among pilots killed in Churu jet crash
The two pilots who died in the Jaguar fighter jet crash on Wednesday have been identified as Squadron Leader Lokendra and Flight Lieutenant Rishi Raj Singh.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) today released the names of the two pilots. Squadron Leader Lokendra hailed from Rohtak in Haryana and is survived by his wife and a month-old son. His co-pilot, Flight Lieutenant Singh, belonged to Pali in Rajasthan.
The jet had taken off from the Suratgarh airbase in Rajasthan before it crashed near Churu in Rajasthan, killing both the pilots. This was the third crash involving the Jaguar in the past four months.
Meanwhile, an air of heartbreak and patriotism gripped Dev Colony in Rohtak city on Thursday evening as people gathered to pay their last respects to Squadron Leader Lokendra Singh Sindhu (33), who laid down his life during a routine training session after a Jaguar crashed near Churu, Rajasthan, on Wednesday.
His mortal remains were brought in an Air Force vehicle draped in flowers. People stood silently on both sides of the street to pay tribute to the martyr. As the vehicle moved slowly through the lane, the silence was broken with chants of ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’.
The scene turned heart-wrenching when the coffin was lowered from the vehicle at his house. Lokendra’s sister, Anjali, overwhelmed with grief, clung to the coffin, saying, “We all are proud of you.”
The Squadron Leader’s one-month-old son was gently brought near the coffin by his maternal grandfather, who made him touch the coffin as a gesture of last ‘darshan’. The sight of the infant stirred fresh waves of sorrow among the mourners.
His inconsolable wife, Surbhi, bid farewell with trembling hands and tearful eyes, saluting the officer’s mortal remains. In another deeply emotional moment, his mother, Anita, holding a framed photograph of her son in uniform, kissed and hugged the picture. It was her final embrace—one last act of love for the boy who had once clung to her lap, now a national hero draped in the Tricolour.
Earlier, IAF officers presented the Tricolour and Lokendra’s service cap to his wife, who touched them to her forehead as a mark of deep respect.
His mortal remains were consigned to the flames with full military honours. A large number of people from all walks of life and district administrative officers attended the cremation.
Lokendra, who hailed from Kheri Sadh village, had been living in Dev Colony with his family. His father, Joginder Singh Sindhu, is a retired Superintendent from Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak.
“Lokendra had spoken to his family through a video call just hours before the incident. He had also exchanged a few messages, asking about everyone’s well-being. The family had celebrated the birth of his child in a small function last month, which Lokendra had attended. He returned to his post on June 30 and rejoined duty the next day,” said Raj Kumar, the officer’s maternal uncle.
Lokendra’s grandfather, Balwan Singh, shared in a choked voice, “Lokendra’s son was born on June 10, and he turned one month old today.”
Lokendra’s elder brother, Gyanendra, said his brother ensured that the ill-fated Jaguar did not crash on civilian population. “He tried to take it to a safe place to avoid human casualties, and in doing so, the aircraft lost height and he could not eject,” he said.
(With inputs from New Delhi)
Haryana Tribune