Nagpur: Chief Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and his wife Madhulika Rawat were killed in a helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu’s Coonoor on Wednesday. The Indian Air Force confirmed the news on Twitter.
“With deep regret, it has now been ascertained that Gen Bipin Rawat, Mrs Madhulika Rawat and 11 other persons on board have died in the unfortunate accident,” the tweet said.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh and President Ram Nath Kovind condoled the death of the top defence official. Singh said, “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.”
An army chopper crashed in Coonoor, Tamil Nadu. According to the Indian Air Force, chief of defence staff Bipin Rawat along with his staff and family members was on board.
The Indian Air Force confirmed the news on twitter, “An IAF Mi-17V5 helicopter, with CDS Gen Bipin Rawat on board, met with an accident today near Coonoor, Tamil Nadu. An inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident.”