Flight Lieutenant Purvesh Duragkar Honored with Military Rites in Nagpur

Tributes Paid to Flight Lieutenant Purvesh Duragkar

Nagpur, Mar 8: Flight Lieutenant Purvesh Duragkar, who tragically lost his life in a Sukhoi fighter jet accident, was laid to rest with full military honors in his hometown of Nagpur on Saturday.

The cremation took place at Manewada Ghat, attended by family, friends, defense personnel, and dignitaries, as reported by the district administration.

Duragkar and his colleague Anuj were killed when their Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jet crashed in Assam's Karbi Anglong district, as confirmed by the Indian Air Force on Friday.

The aircraft was on a routine training mission, having taken off from Jorhat Air Force Station on Thursday, before it vanished from radar shortly after departure.

In response to the incident, a massive rescue operation was initiated overnight, involving personnel from the Indian Air Force, Army, and paramilitary forces. Search teams later found the wreckage and recovered human remains from the crash site.

Duragkar's body was transported to New Delhi on Friday, where tributes were paid before it was sent to Air Force Station Sonegaon in Nagpur.

From there, the remains were taken to his home in New Subedar Layout and handed over to his family on Saturday.

Chandrashekhar Bawankule, the Guardian Minister of Nagpur, honored the officer, stating that Duragkar's bravery, commitment, and patriotism would serve as an inspiration for the people of Nagpur and the nation.

The final rites included full military honors, featuring a ceremonial gun salute from armed forces personnel.

The 28-year-old officer had previously participated in Operation Sindoor, which targeted terrorist bases in Pakistan following last year's Pahalgam attack, as shared by his father, Ravindra Duragkar, on Friday.