Squadron Leader Lokendra Singh Sindhu, a 32-year-old Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot from Kheri Sadh village in Haryana’s Rohtak, was among two pilots killed in a Jaguar fighter jet crash near Bhanoda village, Churu, Rajasthan, on Wednesday, July 9, 2025. The tragedy struck just a month after Sindhu celebrated the birth of his son on June 10, leaving his family in shock. His wife, Surbhi, a doctor, was at her parental home in Hisar when the news broke.

Sindhu, who joined the IAF in 2016 after excelling at the National Defence Academy, was on a routine training mission with Flight Lieutenant Rishiraj Singh Devda, 23, from Pali, Rajasthan, when the twin-seater jet crashed around 1:25 PM. The IAF has ordered a court of inquiry to investigate the cause, with preliminary reports suggesting a technical malfunction. Eyewitnesses noted the pilots maneuvered the jet away from populated areas, preventing civilian casualties but losing the altitude needed to eject safely.

Sindhu’s family, including his parents, retired MDU superintendent Joginder Singh and schoolteacher mother, along with his brother Gyanendra, an engineer, and sister Anshi, a former IAF officer, mourned his loss. A family event on June 30 celebrated his newborn, with Sindhu rejoining duty the next day. His final video call with family, hours before the crash, was filled with joy over his niece’s birthday.

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The third Jaguar crash this year, following incidents in Panchkula (March) and Jamnagar (April), has reignited concerns about the aging fleet’s safety.

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