New Delhi: India’s foremost military officer Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat was killed on Wednesday in a helicopter crash near Coonoor in south Indian state of Tamil Nadu, confirmed Indian Air Force.
Along with Rawat, his wife and senior military officials, were among 13 declared dead in the accident. There were 14 people on board the helicopter.
Earlier, the Indian Air Force said on Twitter an ‘IAF Mi-17V5 helicopter, with CDS Gen Bipin Rawat on board, met with an accident today near Coonoor, Tamil Nadu.’
He was going to the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington in Coonoor district to give a lecture scheduled at about 3pm.
The chopper took off at 11:48 am from the Sulur Air Base and was reported to be missing at around 12:22 pm, sources informed. The chopper was already making its descent at the time of the crash.
It came down around 10 kilometres (six miles) from the nearest main road, forcing emergency workers to trek to the accident site, a fire official told AFP.
The sole survivor of the crash, a captain working at the DSSC, was being treated for his injuries at a nearby military hospital, the air force said.
The Indian Air Force has issued a list of names of General Rawat’s staff who were also on-board the crashed chopper.
The names include CDS General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat, Brigadier LS Lidder, Lieutenant Colonel Harjinder Singh, NK Gursewak Singh, NK Jitendra Kumar, L/NK Vivek Kumar, L/NK B Sai Teja, and Hav Satpal.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed his deep anguish on the death of Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat in a helicopter crash and said his insights and perspectives on strategic matters were exceptional.
Describing CDS Rawat as "an outstanding soldier" and "a true patriot," the Prime Minister said he greatly contributed to modernising our armed forces and security apparatus.
The Prime Minister also expressed his anguish at the death of others on board the helicopter including Gen Rawat's wife and defence officers.
"I am deeply anguished by the helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu in which we have lost Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife and other personnel of the Armed Forces. They served India with utmost diligence. My thoughts are with the bereaved families," the Prime Minister said in a tweet.
"Gen Bipin Rawat was an outstanding soldier. A true patriot, he greatly contributed to modernising our armed forces and security apparatus. His insights and perspectives on strategic matters were exceptional. His passing away has saddened me deeply. Om Shanti," he added.
PM Modi said that as India's first CDS, Gen Rawat worked on diverse aspects relating to the country's armed forces including defence reforms.
"He brought with him a rich experience of serving in the Army. India will never forget his exceptional service," the Prime Minister said.
The military helicopter crashed near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday.
A veteran of counterinsurgency warfare, CDS Rawat had served in difficult terrains including northern and eastern commands.CDS Rawat was commissioned into the Indian Army in December 1978. He served as Chief of the Army Staff from December 31, 2016 to December 31, 2019.
"His untimely death is an irreparable loss to our Armed Forces and the country," defence minister Rajnath Singh said on Twitter.
Footage from the scene showed a crowd of people trying to extinguish the fiery wreck with water buckets while a group of soldiers carried one of the passengers away on an improvised stretcher.
Rawat was headed to the Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) to address students and faculty from the nearby Sulur air force base in Coimbatore.
The chopper was already making its descent at the time of the crash.
It came down around 10 kilometres (six miles) from the nearest main road, forcing emergency workers to trek to the accident site, a fire official told AFP.
The sole survivor of the crash, a captain working at the DSSC, was being treated for his injuries at a nearby military hospital, the air force said.
Indian foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said he was "deeply shocked" by the accident and Rawat's death.
"We worked closely together in the last few years. It is a huge loss to the nation," he said.
Television images showed the helicopter in flames as local residents tried to douse it. Along with General Rawat, Brigadier L.S. Lidder, Lieutenant Colonel Harjinder Singh, Naik Gursewak Singh, Naik Jitender Kumar, Naik Vivek Kumar, Naik B. Sai Teja, Havaldar Satpal and pilots were travelling in the chopper.
The force said that an inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident. The chopper took off from the Sulur airbase and was proceeding to Wellington when it crashed.
According to reports, four bodies were recovered from the accident site. A former Wing Commander of the Indian Air Force (IAF) told IANS that ‘based on the visuals on the news channels, the helicopter must have crashed with a strong impact and exploded’.
According to Tamil Nadu Health Secretary Dr J. Radhakrishnan a special medical team has been sent to Coonoor to provide treatment to the injured. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister may visit the injured in the hospital, sources said.
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. He is also an adviser to the Defence Ministry.
Rawat comes from a military family with several generations having served in the Indian armed forces.
Rawat was chief of the 1.3 million-strong army from 2017 to 2019 before his elevation to defence services chief, which analysts said was to improve integration between the army, navy and air force.
India’s air force said an inquiry was underway into Wednesday’s accident.
India has dozens of Mi-17s in service. They are widely deployed to transport senior army personnel and government ministers.
"This is a safe, proven helicopter, I have travelled on it in difficult situations," former army chief J.J.Singh said.
