IAF jet crash: Pilot took part in Op Sindoor, had family get-together 10 days ago, says father

NAGPUR: (Mar 6) Ravindra Duragkar could only recall memories of his son, Flight Lieutenant Purvesh Duragkar, the most vivid being their phone chat on Wednesday and his visit home ten days ago for a family get-together.

As IAF officials tried to console the retired railway employee at his home in Nagpur’s New Subedar Layout, the grief-stricken father occasionally regained his composure to say that Purvesh took immense pride in flying a fighter jet.

Squadron Leader Anuj and Flight Lieutenant Purvesh were killed when a Su-30 MKI fighter jet crashed in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district, the IAF said on Friday. The jet was on a training sortie and disappeared from radar shortly after taking off from Jorhat airbase on Thursday.