Gen Bipin Rawat & Wife Die in Chopper Crash
India’s first Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat has passed away in a tragic chopper crash. Watch our latest video for more updates.
At noon on 8 December 2021, India’s first Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat, and 12 others left Palam airbase in Delhi and were travelling to Coonoor, Tamil Nadu, to give a lecture at the Defence Services Staff College. They were travelling in the IAF’s Mi 17 V5 helicopter. However, the chopper crashed and everyone on board died. General Rawat was found alive by the rescuers but he died on the way to the hospital. He was also with his wife Madhulika Rawat. She passed away as well. India’s first Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat, died in a chopper crash along with 13 others in Tamil Nadu today.
The IAF confirmed that the only survivor, Group Capt Varun Singh SC with injuries is currently under treatment at Military Hospital in Wellington, Coonoor. The mortal remains of General Rawat and his wife have reached Delhi. The last rites will be performed on Friday in Delhi Cantonment and the bodies would be kept in their house from 11 am to 2 pm for people to pay their last respects. The IAF has ordered a probe into the crash as there is no information on what led to the crash. The Mi17V5 helicopter is an advanced military transport chopper with the Indian Air Force since 2012. Wing Commander Prithvi Singh Chauhan was the pilot of the chopper. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted, “Deeply anguished by the sudden demise of Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife and 11 other Armed Forces personnel in an extremely unfortunate helicopter accident today in Tamil Nadu. His untimely death is an irreparable loss to our Armed Forces and the country.”
General Rawal was a very important person in the Indian military. He was appointed in 2019 as India’s first chief of defence staff. The post was created by the central to advise the government on matters relating to Army, Navy & Air Force. He has also worked as the Chief of the Indian military from 2017-2019. People said that because of his strict control, terrorists have activities have reduced in the northeast. In 2015, NSCN-K militants had attacked the Indian army near the Nagaland-Myanmar border. At that time General Rawat was the leader who had successfully responded to the attack. In 2016, Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists had attacked an army base in Uri, Jammu Kashmir killing 19 soldiers. In retaliation, India conducted airstrikes in Pakistan and attacked the JeM training camp. At that time General Rawat had planned the attack. The Uttarakhand government has declared a three-day state mourning from December 9 as Rawat was born there and they want to respect him. He is survived by 2 daughters Kritika Rawat and Tarini Rawat.
