IAF Sukhoi Jet Crash in Karbi Anglong, Assam: Two Pilots Martyred; Operation Sindoor Officer Among Them

Two Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots were martyred after a Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jet crashed in a remote hilly area near Nilip Block under Chokihola in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district on Thursday evening (March 5).

The pilots have been identified as Squadron Leader Anuj and Flight Lieutenant Purvesh Duragkar, both of whom sustained fatal injuries in the crash.

According to security personnel involved in the operation, wreckage of the aircraft and body parts of the pilots were recovered at the crash site following an intensive search in the difficult terrain.

Officials said a loud explosion was heard around 7:45 pm, after which smoke was seen rising from the hills. Local residents alerted authorities, prompting police teams, security personnel, and a commando unit to launch a search operation in the dense and hilly region.

The exact crash location was identified around midnight, nearly four hours after the initial explosion.

Defence officials stated that the fighter jet was on a routine training mission and had taken off from Jorhat Air Force Station, approximately 60 kilometres from the crash site. Communication with the Russian-origin Sukhoi Su-30MKI aircraft was reportedly lost at around 7:42 pm, shortly before the crash.

Following the incident, an Indian Air Force team was dispatched to the site to collect debris and other remains from the wreckage and begin an investigation into the cause of the accident.

Reacting to the tragedy, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said he was “deeply saddened” by the loss of the two pilots.

In a message posted on X, he stated that their courage and service to the nation would always be remembered with pride and gratitude.

The Su-30MKI is a two-seater, long-range multirole fighter aircraft developed by Russian manufacturer Sukhoi and produced under licence in India by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). It forms a key part of the Indian Air Force’s frontline combat fleet.

Authorities have initiated an investigation to determine the exact circumstances that led to the crash.