A Jaguar with the Indian Air Force  crashed in the Gajner area of Bikaner on Wednesday evening amidst reports that it was a participating in the rehearsal for Republic Day celebrations when the mishap happened. The defence spokesperson, however, insisted the flight was on a routine training sortie when the accident took place.

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Both the pilots managed to eject to safety before the fighter plane crashed in the fields of Bholasar and Akkasar villages, sources said. “The Indian Air Force has constituted a code of inquiry into the Jaguar mishap in Bikaner; both pilots ejected to safety before the crash,” Colonel SD Goswami, defence spokesperson said.

The incident took place late in the evening when the fighter plane developed a snag and the pilots made an informed decision to eject before it crashed.

Immediately after the crash, the local police, district collector Arti Dogra and Superintendent of Police  Santosh Chalke rushed to the spot. Airforce officials who had arrived at the spot took the remains of the plane in their control, sources said. The two pilots were taken to a nearby Salasar village, they added.

Sources in the Air Force ruled out theories of the flight being a part of the Republic Day rehearsal.

“Had it been a rehearsal for the Republic Day flypast, it would have been conducted in the morning and not in the night,” an official said. “It was a routine training sortie where the pilots took the decision of planned ejection,” he added.