I have no two views on that one. Should have remained in.
But if you look at the LC in the region, the LC swings in North-North-Easterly direction and then doubles back in a South-South-Easterly direction, creating a 'knob'. What I have been led to believe is that once the flight of F-16, and here I am now very sure about the flight, was detected undertaking a technical violation of LC (entering within 10 kms of their own side) our Migs (02) were vectored towards them. The F-16s thereafter merely transgressed about 3 or 4 kms on our side and then moved to egress just as our Migs fell in. The Wing Commander was on a lock (as made out from ATC data available) and moved for a 'kill'. Since he was in a technical violation by then, he was targeted by PAF aircrafts as also SAMs. The IR countermeasures were quickly overcome in a volley and he was hit by what is believed to be an A2A missile (AIM-120C). The aircraft subsequently was a dead bird and crossed the LC as no sane pilot would eject at that altitude in that terrain. And rest, as is said, is history.
But I do concur, he was not a Flying Officer to fall for such things ...as a Wing Commander, he messed up (in a military pov)