India’s first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat who lost his life in the IAF helicopter air crash near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu will be cremated on Friday with full military honours.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) says that it has constituted a tri-service Court of Inquiry to investigate the cause of the tragic helicopter accident. The IAF also made an appeal to avoid "uninformed speculation" about CDS Rawat's helicopter crash to 'respect the dignity of the deceased'.
The IAF has assured that the 'inquiry would be completed expeditiously & facts brought out' regarding the chopper crash of CDS Bipin Rawat.
The 63-year-old CDS was travelling in a Russian-made Mi-17V-5 chopper, which is one of the most advanced military transport helicopters, along with 13 other people including his wife, Madhulika Rawat.
On Thursday night, the mortal remains of General Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat, and 11 others on board who died in the helicopter crash on Wednesday were flown from Sulur to Palam Airbase in New Delhi.
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Army Chief General MM Naravane, Naval Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar, Air Chief Marshal AVR Chaudhari, Defence secretary Ajay Kumar were among the people who paid their tribute at Palam Airport.