A military helicopter carrying chief of defence staff General Bipin Rawat crashed near the town of Coonoor in the Nilgris district of Tamil Nadu on Wednesday afternoon, killing 13 people onboard. Rawat was accompanied by his wife and 12 others.
Identities of the bodies is to be confirmed through DNA testing. Moreover, the condition of CDS General Rawat is still unknown.
The Russian-made IAF Mi-17V5 helicopter was airborne from an Indian Air Force base in Sulur to the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington, where Rawat was scheduled to deliver a lecture.
IAF has also ordered Court of Inquiry into the accident, involving the Mi-17VH chopper. The crash happened at a distance of about 10 km from the helipad where it was to land with CDS Rawat.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has reached CDS Bipin Rawat’s house in Delhi and is likely to give a statement in the Parliament on the situation tomorrow.
Moreover, Army chief General MM Naravane has briefed defence minister over the incident of the crash in Tamil Nadu.
