IAF Chopper Crash: Mortal remains of CDS General Rawat, others reach Palam Airbase in Delhi

The Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft carrying mortal remains of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat, his wife and other personnel, who passed away in a chopper crash in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday, reached the Palam Airbase in Delhi on Thursday evening from Sulur.

The 'Shradhanjali ceremony' is scheduled from 8:30 hours today.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt and National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval will pay their last respect to the General and others at around 9 pm today.

The Indian Army said that the positive identification of only three mortal remains has been possible as of now including General Bipin Rawat, Madhulika Rawat and Brigadier LS Lidder.

The mortal remains will be released to the Next of Kin, for final religious rites as desired by respective families.

"Appropriate military funerals of all deceased are being planned and coordinated in close consultation with close family members," said the Indian Army.

It further said that the process for positive identification of remaining mortal remains is continuing.

The mortal remains will be kept at the Mortuary of Army Base Hospital till the completion of positive identification formalities.

Civilians can pay tribute to CDS Gen. Bipin Rawat from 1100-1230 hours at CDS Karaj marg residence tomorrow.

The last rites will be held in Delhi on Friday with full military honours. A funeral procession will start from Kamraj Marg to Brar Square crematorium in Delhi Cantonment on Friday.

"Military personnel can pay respects between 1230-1330 hours. Thereafter, the mortal remains will be taken in a gun carriage for the funeral in Delhi Cantt Brar Square," the Indian Army added.

The last rites of Brig LS Lidder's who passed away in the military chopper crash will be held at 0915 hours at Delhi Cantt tomorrow.

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and 11 others, who were on board IAF's Mi-17V5 helicopter, died in the crash on Wednesday.

The mortal remains were today brought to Madras Regimental Centre from Military Hospital, Wellington in Nilgiris district. People paid floral tribute to the deceased here.

The government today ordered a 'tri service' enquiry into the accident.

The enquiry will be headed by Air Marshal Manvendra Singh, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Training Command.

Both Houses of Parliament observed two-minutes silence on the demise of 13 people.

According to the sources, the black box of the chopper has been recovered.

Meanwhile, a team of the state's Forensic Science Department also visited the crash site.

A total of 14 people were onboard the IAF's helicopter. Group Captain Varun Singh is the lone survivor of the crash and is presently on life support in Military Hospital, Wellington.

Those who died in the crash include General Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat, his Defence Adviser Brigadier Lakhbinder Singh Lidder, Staff Officer Lieutenant Colonel Harjinder Singh and nine other Armed Forces personnel including the Air Force helicopter crew.

Their names are Wing Commander Prithvi Singh Chauhan, Squadron Leader Kuldeep Singh, Junior Warrant Officer Rana Pratap Das, Junior Warrant Officer Arakkal Pradeep, Havildar Satpal Rai, Naik Gursewak Singh, Naik Jitendra Kumar, Lance Naik Vivek Kumar, Lance Naik B Sai Teja.

(ANI)