New Delhi: The last rites of India’s first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat who died in a chopper crash on Wednesday near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu will be conducted at the Brar Square Crematorium in the Cantonment area of New Delhi on Friday.
Before that, the mortal remains of Gen Rawat will be laid for all to pay their last respects at his residence at No 3, Kamaraj Marg, New Delhi, on Friday.
Earlier on Thursday, the mortal remains of the CDS besides those of his spouse Madhulika Rawat, his Defence Adviser Brig Lakhbinder Singh Lidder, Staff Officer Lt Col Harjinder Singh and nine other Armed Forces personnel including the Air Force helicopter crew were flown in to the national capital to the Palam Airbase in an Indian Air Force C-130J aircraft at around 7.35 PM.
Among those who paid their homage on Thursday evening included Prime Minister Narendra Modi, defence minister Rajnath Singh and national security advisor Ajit Doval.
While the time slot on Friday for civil dignitaries and citizens to pay their last respects is from 1100 hours to 1230 hours, military personnel will pay their last respects from 1230 hours to 1330 hours.
After that the final journey of Gen Bipin Rawat from his residence to the Brar Square Crematorium is scheduled to start at about 1400 hours.
The others who passed away in the tragedy include the pilot of the chopper 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.
The sole survivor of the crash, Group Captain Varun Singh, has been put on life support in the Military Hospital at Wellington and all efforts are being made to save his life.
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