Families in Bihar are mourning the loss of two Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel who died in a crash of a Russian-origin AN-32 transport aircraft in Assam. The five personnel killed included Flight Lieutenant Shubham Kumar from Jehanabad and Agniveervayu Danish Alam from Bhojpur. Their loved ones are left with only memories captured on mobile phones—a final video call, a last photograph.
Final Moments Remembered
Shubham Kumar, 26, had spoken to his mother in Banwariya village via video call around 9 am on Saturday, just hours before the crash. “He looked cheerful and normal. He said he was in a hurry and would speak at length later,” a family member recalled. His younger brother Satyam said the family first heard about the accident around 11 am but found it hard to believe. The grim reality sank in only after repeated attempts to reach him on his mobile failed and officials confirmed the news.
Kumar, the son of a farmer and a homemaker, had fulfilled his dream of serving the nation when he was selected as a Flying Officer in the IAF in 2021. Family members said marriage talks had recently begun, but he chose to put them on hold, insisting that his career and service responsibilities came first. In his village, locals remember him as a humble young man who never forgot his roots and greeted everyone warmly during his leaves. Villagers now await his mortal remains to pay their last respects.
A Mother’s Loss
In Kayamnagar village of Bhojpur district, Danish Alam’s family clings to another final memory—a photograph he sent from inside an aircraft on Saturday morning. “He had spoken to us over a video call on Friday evening, and he seemed very happy. On Saturday morning, he sent us a photo of himself sitting inside an aircraft. We later went to the Ara market, and while we were there, news of the crash reached us. We rushed back home,” said his mother, Akhtari Begum. Alam was her only son; she has two daughters.
“It was his dream to serve in the Indian Air Force. He planned his studies on his own and worked hard to achieve that goal,” Begum said. Friends and neighbours described him as a determined young man who carried the hopes of his family.
Appeal for Support
Alam’s friend Sujit Tiwari appealed for financial assistance for the bereaved family. “Alam was the family’s biggest support. His elder sister is yet to be married, his mother remains unwell, and the family has very limited means. His father works in a private job earning around Rs 10,000 a month. We hope the government extends assistance to them,” Tiwari said.
As news of the crash spread across the two villages, grief gave way to an outpouring of pride for the young men who had chosen to serve in uniform.
