Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday paid tributes to India’s first Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife and 11 others who died after an IAF chopper crashed in Tamil Nadu. Along with PM Modi, the country’s top defence brass also paid their respects to the deceased at the Palam airbase after the bodies were brought to Delhi on a C130-J Super Hercules aircraft late evening.
PM Modi later took to Twitter and wrote: “Paid my last respects to Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife and other personnel of the Armed Forces. India will never forget their rich contribution.”
Paid my last respects to Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife and other personnel of the Armed Forces. India will never forget their rich contribution. pic.twitter.com/LAq83VfoBf— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 9, 2021
Among those who paid tributes were Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, NSA Ajit Doval, Army Chief MM Naravane, Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar, Air Chief Marshal AVR Chaudhari, Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar.
The 13 coffins were lined up inside a hangar at the Palam airport in presence of the family members. The C-130J Super Hercules aircraft carrying the bodies flew from the Sulur airbase to the Palam technical airport at around 7:35 pm.
The vehicles carrying the mortal remains were showered with flower petals by locals in Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore who gathered on the roads with folded hands as the convoy passed through the streets on Thursday.
Positive identification of only three bodies has been possible as of now — Gen Bipin Rawat, Madhulika Rawat and Brigadier LS Lidder, and their mortal remains will be released to the next of kin for final rites as desired by their respective families. The process for positive identification of remaining bodies is continuing. The remains will be kept at the mortuary of Army Base Hospital till the completion of positive identification formalities.
The bodies of Gen Rawat and his wife will be kept at their 3 Kamaraj Marg residence for the general public to pay their final respects from 11 am to 12:30 pm on Friday. The slot between 12:30 pm and 1:30 pm will be kept for military personnel to pay their respects to the outstanding commander and his wife.
The final journey of Gen Rawat from his residence to the Brar Square crematorium is scheduled to start at around 2 pm. The funeral is scheduled for 4 pm. Brigadier Lidder’s funeral would be held at 9 am.
Besides Gen Rawat, his wife and Brig Lidder, the 10 other personnel killed in the accident are: Lt Col Harjinder Singh, Wing Commander PS Chauhan, Squadron Leader 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 battling for his life at a military hospital in Bengaluru.
(With PTI inputs)
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