CDS General Bipin Rawat, his wife to be cremated in Delhi Cantt on Friday, Rajnath Singh to brief Parliament on chopper crash

New Delhi: The cremation of Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat who were among the 13 killed in the military helicopter crash near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu will be conducted in Delhi Cantonment on Friday (December 8).

According to news agency ANI, the mortal remains of the CDS and his wife will arrive in Delhi on a military plane on Thursday evening. The bodies would be brought to Rawat’s house in the national capital on Friday where people would be allowed to pay their last respect from 11 am to 2 pm. 

After 2 pm, a funeral procession will start from Kamraj Marg to Brar Square crematorium in Delhi Cantonment. 

Who all died in IAF chopper crash

Those who died in the IAF chopper crash included Military Adviser to the Chief of Defence Staff Brig LS Lidder, staff officer Lt Col Harjinder Singh, Wg Cdr PS Chauhan, Sqn Ldr K Singh, JWO Das, JWO Pradeep A, Havildar Satpal, Naik Gursewak Singh, Naik Jitender Kumar, Lance Naik Vivek Kumar and Lance Naik Sai Teja. 

The lone survivor Group Captain Varun Singh is currently admitted at the military hospital in Wellington, IAF informed earlier. 

IAF's Mi17V5 chopper, with Rawat, his wife and 12 defence personnel onboard, departed from Sulur airbase around 11.45 am for Defence Services Staff College in Wellington and met an accident near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu around 12.20 pm. General Rawat was on his way to the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington to address the faculty and student officers of the Staff Course. 

Nation griefs death of CDS, his wife and 11 others

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation in paying tributes to CDS General Rawat and others killed in the crash. "I am deeply anguished by the helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu in which we have lost Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife and other personnel of the Armed Forces. They served India with utmost diligence. My thoughts are with the bereaved families," the PM tweeted. 

Rajnath Singh to brief Parliament on chopper crash today

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh would brief the Parliament on the crash of the military chopper which was carrying Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat and 13 other persons on Friday. The Defence Minister visited CDS Rawat`s residence here after the IAF helicopter carrying him along with some senior defence officers crashed near Coonor in Tamil Nadu on Thursday. 

CDS Rawat was accompanied by his wife. The Defence Minister has briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the incident. IAF has ordered an inquiry into the accident.

(With agency inputs)