Guwahati: Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat, his wife Mr. Madhulika Rawat were among 13 killed after an IAF chopper they were travelling in crashed near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday.
Taking to Twitter Indian Air Force has officially announced the passing away of Gen Bipin Rawat, Mrs Madhulika Rawat and 11 other persons on board.
With deep regret, it has now been ascertained that Gen Bipin Rawat, Mrs Madhulika Rawat and 11 other persons on board have died in the unfortunate accident.
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) December 8, 2021
Group Capt Varun Singh, injured in the chopper crash, is currently under treatment at the Military Hospital in Wellington.
He met with an accident earlier today after an Mi17 V5 Helicopter of the Indian Air Force (IAF) in which he was travelling along with 14 other officers crashed in Tamil Nadu’s Coonoor.
Later he was admitted to the Military Hospital with other injured officers on the same accident.
It may be mentioned that alongside, Bipin Rawat, his wife Mrs. Madhulika Rawat was also in the helicopter.
Reportedly there were around 14 people on board travelling along with Bipin Rawat and his wife Mrs. Madhulika Rawat.
Some of the passengers who were traveling with Rawat were Brig LS Lidder, Lt Col Harijinder Sing, NK Gursewak Singh, NK Jitendra Kumar, L/NK Vivek Kumar, L/NK B Sai Teja, and Hav Satpal.
According to sources, Rawat’s staff and some family members were also on board in the Mi-series helicopter.
Rawat is the country’s first Chief of Defence Staff appointed on January 1, 2020. He was appointed the head of the newly created Department of Military Affairs in one of the most significant reorganization in Defence Ministry in decades.
He had served as the Chief of the Army for three years before taking over as the CDS.
