"He Said He Was Going On A Mission": IAF Pilot Shubham Kumar’s Mother Recalls Heartbreaking Final Call Before Assam AN-32 Crash

The mother of Indian Air Force pilot Flight Lieutenant Shubham Kumar, who lost his life in the AN-32 aircraft crash in Assam's Jorhat, on recalled her last conversation with her son and said she never imagined he would not return home.

"I spoke to him yesterday morning; he told me that he was going on a mission. I hadn't received a call yesterday, but then I got a call that the plane had crashed," Poonam Kumar told ANI.

Recalling his recent visit home, she said, “He came on May 5th and left on May 29th. I didn't know that my son would leave and never return.”

Grief gripped Bawaria village in Bihar's Jehanabad district after news emerged that Flight Lieutenant Shubham Kumar was killed in the crash. The arrival of his mortal remains prompted social workers, political leaders and residents to visit the family and offer condolences.

A resident of Bawaria village in Hulasganj block, Kumar was the sole earning member of his family. Relatives mourned his untimely demise, while villagers remembered him as a dedicated officer who served the nation with honour.

His mother had earlier said that Kumar visited the village on May 5, following the death of his grandmother and returned to duty after spending time with the family. She also noted that discussions regarding his marriage were underway before the tragedy struck.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Sunday transported the mortal remains of the personnel who lost their lives in the crash of an AN-32 transport aircraft at the Jorhat Air Force Station in Assam on June 13 to their native places for last rites with full military honours.

The AN-32 transport aircraft crashed at the Jorhat Air Force Station while attempting to land during a routine sortie. The IAF later confirmed that five personnel were killed in the accident and expressed condolences to the bereaved families.

In a post on X, the Air Force identified the deceased personnel as Squadron Leader Prashant Singh, Flight Lieutenant Shubham Kumar, Sergeant Jitendra Sharma, Agniveervayu Khemaram Kumawat and Agniveervayu Danish Alam. "The Indian Air Force deeply regrets the loss of five personnel in the An-32 accident at Jorhat, Assam," the IAF said. 

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