Operation Sindoor: Old Video From Madhya Pradesh Falsely Shared As Video Of IAF Pilot Captured In Pakistan

Claim

On April 7, 2025, during ‘Operation Sindoor’, an Indian Air Force fighter jet was shot down by the Pakistani Army, and the pilot was captured.

(Archive Line here and here)

Fact

A reverse image search of the keyframe of the viral video shows that the same video was posted on news outlet Aaj Tak‘s Instagram account on February 7, 2025. Per the news, an Indian Air Force Mirage-2000 fighter jet crashed in Bahreta village in Shivpuri district of Madhya Pradesh. While the aircraft was destroyed in the crash, the pilot survived the incident.

The incident was also reported by Dainik Bhaskar on its website on February 6, 2025. According to the report, two Indian Air Force pilots were on board the Mirage-2000 aircraft at the time of the crash: Pilot Vikram Yadav and Wing Commander Biraj Bohra. Both pilots survived the accident with assistance from local villagers.

Thus, it is clear that the viral video does not depict the capture of an Indian Air Force pilot in Pakistan. The footage is from an earlier incident involving the crash of an Indian Air Force fighter jet in Shivpuri district, Madhya Pradesh.

Sources
Video by Aajtak, dated February 7, 2025
Report by Dainik Bhaskar, dated February 6, 2025