New Delhi [India], December 10 (ANI): Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat, who died in a chopper crash in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday, was cremated with full military honours at the Brar Square crematorium in Delhi Cantonment on Friday.
His wife Madhulika Rawat, who too died in a chopper crash, was also cremated alongside CDS Rawat. The last rites were performed by their daughters Kritika and Tarini
CDS Rawat was accorded a 17-gun salute and Last Post and Rouse was played by tri-services buglers, as per the military protocols.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Defence Research and Development Organisation chief Dr G Satheesh Reddy, defence attaches of various countries, Ambassador of France in India Emmanuel Lenain and British High Commissioner Alex Ellis, were among the dignitaries who were present at the crematorium to pay their last respect.
People from all walks of life joined the funeral procession as it proceeded towards the crematorium to pay tribute to India’s first CDS.
Admirers of CDS Rawat were present along the road of funeral procession with some of them carrying the national flag. They raised slogan “Jab tak suraj chaand rahega, Bipinji ka naam rahega”.
Union Ministers Amit Shah, Nirmala Sitharaman, Mansukh Mandaviya, Smriti Irani, Narendra Singh Tomar and Sarbananda Sonowal went to the residence of General Bipin Rawat earlier in the day to pay their last respects.
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and Harish Rawat, BJP chief JP Nadda and DMK leaders A Raja and Kanimozhi were among those who laid a wreath on the mortal remains of the CDS Rawat and his wife.
An IAF chopper crash near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday claimed the lives of 13 people including CDS Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and his defence adviser Brigadier Lidder.
The Army said the mortal remains of only three persons — General Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and Brigadier Lidder — had been positively identified so far. Brigadier Lidder was cremated earlier today.
Other defence forces personnel who died in the chopper crash are CDS Rawat’s Staff Officer Lieutenant Colonel Harjinder Singh, Wing Commander Prithvi Singh Chauhan, Squadron Leader Kuldeep Singh, Junior Warrant Officer Rana Pratap Das, Junior Warrant Officer Arakkal Pradeep, Havildar Satpal Rai, Naik Gursewak Singh, Naik Jitendra Kumar, Lance Naik Vivek Kumar and Lance Naik B. Sai Teja.
Group Captain Varun Singh, the lone survivor in the crash, has been shifted to Air Force Command hospital at Bengaluru for further treatment.
The Centre has ordered a ‘tri service’ inquiry into the accident. The inquiry will be headed by Air Marshal Manvendra Singh, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Training Command. (ANI)
