Shahpur (Sonepat), May 26
It was just six months ago that 25-year-old Manjit Singh had joined his dream job of a pilot which did not last for long. He died last night in the air ambulance crash in Faridabad. Manjit was flying the plane along with co-pilot Harpreet.

After passing Class XII from the RIMC, Dehradun, Manjit went to New Zealand to undergo a flying course and came back to join the Air Chartered Services as a pilot. He was flying a patient from Bihar to New Delhi when the accident occurred.

His father, Jai Bhagwan, a driver with the DTC, had pushed his finances to the limit to ensure that his son could fly high. However, his untimely death has left family members, relatives and residents of his native village shocked and in deep mourning.

Heart-rending scenes were witnessed as the mortal remains of Manjit were brought here this afternoon. Villagers collectively decided not to light their stoves today as a mark of grief. His mortal remains were consigned to the flames at the village cremation ground later in the afternoon. Manjit is survived by his father, mother and younger brother Amanjit, who is doing his graduation from Khalsa College, Delhi.

Manjit’s friend Yogesh of Jatheri village, who was at the cremation ground, said Manjit had a friendly nature and his death had come as a big shock for the villagers.

After receiving information about the tragic death of Manjit, a large number of prominent people from Sonepat, including state media in charge of the BJP Rajiv Jain and INLD district president Padam Singh Dahiya reached the village and expressed sympathy with the bereaved family.

The victim’s uncle, Nafe Singh, said Jai Bhagwan had spent all his money to make his son a pilot. “It was his dream job and all of us were proud that he had become a pilot and would fly high. However, the feeling did not last long.”

Faridabad, May 26
The rescue operations following the crash of a chartered PC-12 aeroplane in Parbatia Colony here last night were adversely affected due to a delay in the arrival of fire engines and the huge rush of people of nearby areas at the spot, which resulted in pandemonium.

However, some of those in the neighbourhood displayed exemplary courage and stopped the fire, which broke out after the crash, from spreading further.

The plane was first noticed on account of its deafening noise as it lost control and swirled in the sky.

It then hit house No. 1253, owned by Rattan Lal, a native of Khui Khera village in Ferozepur district of Punjab. The plane broke into two pieces. While the rear portion of the plane fell on the terrace of Rattan Lal’s house, the front half fell on the terrace of an adjoining building after which there was a blast, which resulted in a fire in which three women of a family were charred to death along with seven on board the plane.

According to Rattan Lal, whose family had a miraculous escape, residents of the neighbourhood immediately swung into action and supplied water from their overhead water tanks and underground water storage tanks.

A police force reached the site nearly half an hour after the accident. Residents brought out the charred bodies from the debris with the help of the police.

Faridabad Fire Officer DN Sharma said although seven fire engines were pressed into service, only two could be used to douse the fire. Asked about the delay in the arrival of the fire engines, he blamed it on the area being congested and the huge rush of people at the site, which led to a traffic jam.