NEW DELHI, Dec 11 (NNN-PTI) – The cremation of India’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Bipin Rawat and his wife, Madhulika Rawat, was held yesterday with full military honours, in the Indian capital.
The duo was among 13 people killed in a military helicopter crash, in Tamil Nadu, on Wednesday.
The bodies of Gen. Rawat and his wife were kept at their Delhi residence for the public to pay their final respects.
Later on, the bodies were taken to the Brar Square crematorium for the funeral. Rawat was accorded a 17-gun salute, and 800 service personnel attended his funeral.
All the three chiefs of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force were present during the funeral. Indian Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, together with other government ministers, Delhi Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal, and dignitaries were also present.
Separately, funeral of Brigadier L.S. Lidder was held at Delhi cantonment, with full military honours earlier in the day.
So far, only three of the 13 bodies have been identified, while the other bodies have been kept at the mortuary in the army base hospital, until they are identified.
The helicopter, with 14 people on board, crashed on Wednesday, at Coonoor area of Nilgiris district, about 538 km south-west of Chennai, the capital city of Tamil Nadu.
The sole survivor in the crash is on life support.
Indian Air Force (IAF) ordered a tri-service enquiry into the helicopter crash and the investigation will be led by Air Marshal, Manavendra Singh.
“IAF constituted a tri-service Court of Inquiry, to investigate the cause of the tragic accident on Dec 8. The inquiry would be completed expeditiously and facts brought out. Till then, to respect the dignity of the deceased, speculation will be avoided,” IAF said, in a brief statement.
The 63-year-old Rawat was India’s first CDS. He took charge on Dec 31, 2019, after serving as the army chief for a full three-year term. CDS is the topmost military general in India, and the position was set up with the aim of integrating the three services – Army, Navy and Air Force.
On Thursday, Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, and the country’s top military brass, paid homage to Rawat, his wife and 11 other defence personnel at the Palam airbase.
“Paid my last respects to Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife and other personnel of the Armed Forces. India will never forget their rich contribution,” Modi wrote on Twitter.– NNN-PTI
