Ahead Of Gen Rawat's Funeral Today, Last Respects To Be Paid At His Home

The funeral of Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and his wife Madhulika Rawat, who were among 13 people killed in a helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu Wednesday, will be held at Brar Square crematorium in Delhi Cantonment today.

The bodies of General Rawat, his wife and the defence personnel killed in the crash were flown in from Sulur in Tamil Nadu last night. On their arrival at Palam air base in Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and top officials of the defence services paid them tributes.

The Army has said civilians can pay their respects to General Rawat at his 3, Kamraj Marg residence between 10 am and 12.30 pm today, news agency ANI reported. Those in the forces can pay their tribute to the General between 12.30 pm and 1.30 pm.

The bodies of General Rawat and his wife Madhulika Rawat are scheduled to leave for the crematorium at 2 pm. According to Delhi Police, the funeral procession will pass through Rajaji Marg, Teen Murti Chowk, 11 Murti, Sardar Patel Marg and Dhaula Kuan before reaching Delhi Cantonment.

The funeral of Brigadier Lakhwinder Singh Lidder, defence assistant to General Rawat and another victim of the chopper crash, would be held at Delhi Cantonment at 9.15 am today.

General Rawat and 12 people on board an Mi-17 V5 helicopter were on their way to the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington when the crash took place.

Besides General Rawat, his wife Maddhulika Rawat and Brigadier Lidder, 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 were killed in the crash.

Group Captain Varun Singh, the lone survivor from the crash, has been shifted to Air Force Command hospital at Bengaluru for treatment.

So far, the bodies of General Rawat, his wife, Brigadier Lidder and Lance Naik Vivek Kumar have been identified.

The Army has said that the process for identification of the bodies of the other personnel is continuing. It also said appropriate military funerals of all the dead are being planned in consultation with their family members.

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