IAF jet drops 'air store' near Pokhran due to technical error, nobody hurt
While the Indian Air Force has ordered an inquiry into the incident, it did not reveal the exact nature of the 'air store'
 "IAF jet drops 'air store' near Pokhran due to technical error, nobody hurt")
An object fell from an Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter aircraft in the Pokhran area of Rajasthan's Jaisalmer district on Wednesday.
Authorities confirmed that there was no damage to life or property in the incident, which occurred in an isolated area, reported news agency PTI.
"An inadvertent release of an air store from an Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter aircraft took place near Pokhran firing range area, due to technical malfunction, today," the IAF posted on social media platform X.
The IAF added that it has ordered an inquiry into the incident. However, it did not reveal the exact nature of the "air store".
Shankar Lal, Sub-Inspector of Ramdevra police station, told PTI that some people heard a loud bang about a kilometre away from the village. Upon rushing to the spot, they reportedly found pieces of an object scattered around.
Another notable incident involving an IAF asset had recently occurred around the same area.
In march this year, for the first time in its 23-year history since its maiden flight in 2001, an IAF Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas crashed while returning from the 'Bharat Shakti' tri-services military exercise held at Pokhran, Rajasthan.
Although the aircraft crashed into a hostel on the outskirts of Jaisalmer, the lone pilot ejected safely.
After the incident, the IAF had issued a brief statement, confirming that the jet crashed during an "operational training sortie". The statement further noted that "the pilot ejected safely" and that "a court of inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident." There were no casualties reported.
The aircraft, which was returning to the Jaisalmer air base, damaged a portion of a hostel building. However, agency reports indicated that there was no loss of human life in the crash, as the hostel was unoccupied at the time.
(With agency input)