Guwahati, March 6: Himanta Biswa Sarma, Chief Minister of Assam, on Friday expressed deep sorrow over the deaths of two pilots of the Indian Air Force who were killed after a Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jet crashed in Karbi Anglong district.
The aircraft, which was on a routine training sortie, went down in the Chokihola area of the district, around 60 kilometres from Jorhat, where it had taken off earlier in the day. Both pilots on board—Squadron Leader Anuj and Flight Lieutenant Purvesh Duragkar—lost their lives in the crash.
In a message shared on the social media platform X, the Chief Minister said he was deeply saddened by the tragic incident. In a statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office, Sarma conveyed his grief over the loss of the two officers and described the development as heartbreaking.
He extended condolences to the bereaved families and said the entire nation stood with them in this moment of profound grief and loss.
Meanwhile, a defence spokesperson confirmed that a court of inquiry had been ordered by the Air Force to determine the cause of the crash. Search and rescue operations were carried out by teams of the Indian Air Force with assistance from local authorities in the area following the incident.
