Trainee flying officer’s death: Autopsy cites hanging as the cause of death

The report was submitted by a government hospital to the Gangamangudi police in north Bengaluru on Monday. The report cites ligature marks on the neck, suggesting death by hanging.

“The post-mortem report is preliminary and subject to chemical and forensic analysis. The final report is not yet done. A final report will be there after the forensic analysis. We have to wait to confirm the cause of death,” said a senior police officer familiar with the investigations.

Following the death of UTFO Ankit Kumar Jha, 27, a murder case was registered against senior IAF officials on the basis of a complaint filed by Aman Jha, the brother of the deceased, on September 22.

Among those booked were Air Commodore, two Group Captains, and two Wing Commanders. The IAF has, meanwhile, ordered a Court of Inquiry into the death of Ankit.

“A Court of Inquiry by the IAF is underway to establish the circumstances leading to the death of the UTFO. On September 24, his kin visited the AFTC. They were briefed about the incident,” the IAF said in an official statement on Sunday.

“The deceased UTFO had joined IAF in February 2021 and was undergoing training at the AFTC. His training had been terminated on September 20, 2022, after informing his father of the same. Termination of training was the result of recommendations made by a Court of Inquiry (COI), which was instituted following a complaint by a fellow woman trainee officer against the UTFO on June 30, 2022,” the IAF said.

“It had been established that the UFTO had committed certain acts of misconduct. The inquiry proceedings were duly examined at multiple levels before being approved at Air HQ, as per established procedure on the subject,” the IAF statement said.