The Indian Air Force has been mourning the loss of two of its soldiers: 44-year-old Squadron Leader Lokendra Singh Sindhu, a resident of Rohtak, Haryana, and 23-year-old Flight Lieutenant Rishiraj Singh Devda, a resident of Khivandi, Sumerpur, Pali. The duo passed away in the tragic crash of the Indian Air Force’s Jaguar fighter jet in Churu, Rajasthan. The year has been a dark time for the aviation department as the tragedy comes within a month of the AI171 crash, and with the dark cloud comes the tears of their families. And for Squadron Leader Lokendra Singh Sindhu’s family, it’s the little infant who won’t even get a chance to meet his father.
Squadron Leader Lokendra Singh Sindhu had welcomed his first child a month before the crash
Being in the armed forces is a risky job, to say the least, not just for the soldiers but also for their families. However, the crash on July 9, 2025, brought heartbreak not just for the armed forces and the soldier’s family, but also for the little child who will never get to see his father. According to a report, Singh’s wife gave birth to a baby boy on June 10, 2025. She was still at her maternal home when the devastating news of her husband’s death was conveyed. Lokender Singh was commissioned into the Indian Air Force in 2016.
More about Squadron Leader Lokendra Singh Sindhu
The officer originally hailed from Rohtak, Haryana, and had married during the COVID-19 pandemic, the report noted. Lokender Singh was the youngest among his three siblings. According to a report by The Times of India, his brother is employed at a multinational company, while his sister recently completed her tenure as a short-service commissioned officer in the Air Force. The incident has left the entire country heartbroken.
The crash of July 9, 2025
The Indian Air Force’s Jaguar that crashed near Churu is the third such incident involving the aircraft since March. On March 7, 2025, a Jaguar jet crashed after taking off from Ambala due to a system malfunction. However, the pilot had safely ejected after steering it away from populated areas. The second crash took place on April 2, 2025, near Jamnagar in Gujarat during a training mission, in which one pilot died and another sustained injuries. The following crash took place on July 9, 2025. Locals rushed to the site and found the aircraft in flames.
Police Personnel from Rajaldesar and Ratangarh police stations, along with emergency services, responded promptly. However, there was no possibility of saving either of the pilots. The Indian Air Force aircraft has since launched a court of inquiry to determine the cause of the accident. The Jaguar is a twin-engine, ground-attack aircraft. It was developed in a collaboration by two major powers in the world, Britain and France, and first flew in 1968. India began inducting the aircraft in the late 1970s and remains one of the last active operators of the platform.
Team BollywoodShaadis extends our heartfelt condolences to the families of Squadron Leader Lokendra Singh Sindhu and Flight Lieutenant Rishiraj Singh Devda.
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