Indian fighter jet crashes in Budgam district of Kashmir

TEHRAN, Feb. 27 (MNA) – A day after the Indian Air Force (IAF) strikes in Pakistan, an IAF fighter jet crashed on Wednesday in Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir. As per initial reports, the jet crashed due to technical failure, with two pilots feared dead in the crash, Economic Times reported. The jet crashed in an open field near Garend Kalaan village in Budgam in the morning (10:05AM local time), the officials said. The jet broke into two and caught fire immediately, the officials said, adding one body was seen near the crash site. The identity of the deceased could not be confirmed immediately, they said, adding the fate of the pilots were not known. The news comes amid the heightened tension between the two countries. India said yesterday it had conducted “preemptive” airstrikes against a militant training camp inside Pakistan, shortly after the Pakistani military accused New Delhi of violating its territory in the Kashmir region. India’s Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said Indian Air Force jets conducted airstrikes against a militant training base in Balakot, Kashmir, on Tuesday. According to an Indian government source, some 300 militants were killed in the strikes. Pakistan, however, has denied that there were any casualties. http://en.mehrnews.com/news/142936/Indian-fighter-jet-crashes-in-Budgam-district-of-Kashmir MNA/PR