Farewell To Heroes : Prime Minister Narendra Modi Leads Nation In Paying Tribute To CDS Bipin Rawat, 11 Others Who Died In The Chopper Crash

Picture : Twitter / ANI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi lead the nation in paying his  last respects to CDS General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and other 11 Armed Forces personnel who lost their lives in the Tamil Nadu chopper crash , at the Palam airbase.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, NSA Ajit Doval  followed by the three  service chiefs – Army Chief Gen MM Naravane, Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar ,  IAF chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari too paid their  last respects .

Earlier, The mortal remains of Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and Brig LS Lidder and some others killed in the tragic helicopter crash near Coonoor were brought to the national capital on Thursday.

The bodies were brought to Delhi in an Indian Air Force C-130J aircraft that landed at the Palam air base at around 7:35 pm.

Officials said the bodies of only Gen Rawat, Madhulika Rawat and Brig LS Lidder could be identified so far.

Those who had perished in the crash were – CDS Gen Rawat, Madhulika Rawat, L/Nk Vivek Kr, NK Gurushewak Singh, L/Nk BS Teja, Naik Jitender Kr, Lt Col Harjinder Singh, Brig LS Lidder, Hav Satpal Raj, Wg Cdr PS Chauhan, Sqn Leader K Singh, JWO Rana Pratap Das & JWO Pradeep A.

They said the mortal remains of only those identified will be released to the next of kin of those killed in the tragic helicopter crash on Wednesday.

A ‘shradhanjali ceremony’ is scheduled to be held from 2030 hours onwards, the Indian Army, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his ministers are expected to attend.

Civilians can pay their tribute to Gen Rawat from 1100-1230 hours tomorrow at the CDS’s Karaj Marg residence, while the military personnel can pay their respects between 1230 and 1330 hours. Thereafter, the mortal remains will be taken in a gun carriage for funeral at the Brar Square crematorium in Delhi Cantonment.