- Wednesday, February 26, 2025
By: Shubham Ghosh
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi was on Thursday (9) night set to pay last respects to general Bipin Rawat, the chief of defence staff who was killed in a helicopter crash along with his wife Madhulika and 11 other personnel in the southern state of Tamil Nadu on Wednesday (8).
Modi will pay his respects after the mortal remains of the Rawats reach Delhi around 8 pm local time.
The prime minister will be accompanied by defence minister Rajnath Singh, minister of state for defence Ajay Bhatt, national security advisor Ajit Doval and the chiefs of the three services. Some of the family members of the personnel killed in the accident will also be present.
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Sources told Asian News International that four bodies, including those of the Rawats, were identified.
Fourteen people were on board the Indian Air Force’s Mi-17V5 helicopter which took off from Sulur air base in Tamil Nadu and was heading for a prestigious defence institute in Wellington, also in the same state, where the chief of defence staff was set to make an address. Only one, group captain Varun Singh, survived the tragedy but was battling for life in the hospital.
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The mortal remains of the victims of the tragedy were brought to Madras Regimental Centre from Military Hospital in Wellington. People paid them floral tributes.
The last rites of the late chief of the defence staff will be held on Friday (10) with military honours. A funeral procession will also be held.
The government also ordered a ‘tri service’ enquiry into the accident and it was led by air marshal Manavendra Singh, air officer commanding-in-chief training command.
