PM Modi, Rajnath Singh pay tribute to CDS Gen Bipin Rawat, other victims of chopper crash

The mortal remains of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and other personnel, who died in a chopper crash in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday, reached Palam Airbase in Delhi at around 8:00 pm on Thursday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the first to pay his respects to Gen Rawat and other Armed Forces personnel.

#WATCH: PM Narendra Modi leads the nation in paying tribute to CDS General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and other 11 Armed Forces personnel who lost their lives in the military chopper crash yesterday

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and other ministers followed in paying their last respects to the deceased. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and three Services chiefs - Army Chief Gen MM Naravane, Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar & IAF chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari - also paid their tributes.

Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt and Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar also paid respects.

Some of the family members of the deceased are present on the occasion.

On Wednesday, CDS Gen Rawat died when an Mi-17V5 helicopter crashed near Coonoor of Tamil Nadu. The General along with his wife were on their way to Wellington from Sulur airbase when the crash happened.

The mortal remains of only three of the victims have been positively identified so far. These include - CDS Bipin Rawat, Mrs Madhulika Rawat, and Brig LS Lidder. Their mortal remains will be handled over their next of kin for final religious rites as desired by respective families.

CDS General Bipin Rawat was appointed the first tri-service chief with effect from December 31, 2019, after the government announced the creation of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) post. The formation of the CDS post was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2019 during his Independence Day speech.