A MiG-21 fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed in Hanumangarh district of Rajasthan on Monday, leaving at least three civilians dead and as many injured on the ground, police said.

The pilot was able to eject from the aircraft in time. "The pilot of the aircraft is safe," District Collector Rukmani Riar said.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) said a helicopter was rushed to rescue the pilot who sustained minor injuries, reports ndtv.com.

"The pilot experienced an onboard emergency, following which he attempted to recover the aircraft as per existing procedures. Having failed to do so, he initiated an ejection," it said in a statement.

The IAF said a probe has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the crash. "A MiG-21 aircraft of the IAF crashed near Suratgarh during a routine training sortie today morning. The pilot ejected safely, sustaining minor injuries. An inquiry has been constituted to ascertain the cause of the accident."

Initially, Bikaner Inspector General of Police Om Prakash said two persons had died and as many injured in the plane crash in Pilibanga area of Hanumangarh district.

Later, the police said three persons were killed. All three killed in the crash were women, the police added.

"The pilot made all efforts to avert human casualties and crash-landed the plane on the outskirts of a village," Prakash said.

He said over 2,000 people have gathered at the crash spot and police and administration are trying to maintain law and order.

In January, two IAF fighter jets - a Sukhoi Su-30 and a Mirage 2000 - had crashed during a training exercise, resulting in the death of one pilot. While one aircraft crashed in Morena in Madhya Pradesh, the other went down 100 km away in Rajasthan's Bharatpur.