MIG-21 catches fire on runway at Bagdogra Air Base

Siliguri, May 23 (UNI) A MIG-21 caught fire this morning when it was bout to land at Alfa Zone of Bagdogra Air Base near here.

''The pilot suffered minor injuries. But no civilian was affected as the incident happened within the military zone,'' Siliguri Additional SP Rajesh Kumar Yadav told reporters.

The SP said the fire broke out at 0900 hrs when the aircraft was about to land at the air base. Preliminary investigation into the matter was on.

Stating that this was not the first time that planes of MIG series had crashed in North Bengal, Darjeeling district police sources said, adding the aircraft had suffered considerable damage.

The sources said the accident might be the result of a technical snag.

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