Coimbatore, Dec 9 (UNI) The bodies of India's first Chief of
Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife and 11 others, who
were killed in an IAF chopper crash at Coonoor yesterday,
was flown to New Delhi from Sulur air base near here today.
The bodies, which were brought in 13 ambulances from the
Madras Regimental Centre (MRC) Wellington near Coonoor
to Sulur air base, were flown by a special IAF aircraft to the
National capital where the last rites will be performed tomorrow
with full military honours.
The Coimbatore District Collector, Ministers and senior officials
paid homage to the victims at the air base.
The special aircraft left for New Delhi at 1535 hrs.
Earlier, Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari, Tamil Nadu Chief
Minister M K Stalin, Ministers and others paid their last
respects to the mortal remains of Gen Rawat and 12 others
at the MRC.
After placing a wreath on the mortal remains of Gen Rawat,
the Chief Minister paid floral tributes to each of the bodies
of the army officers, who have perished in the crash.
Air Chief Marshal Chaudhary, members of the three defence
services and Telangana Governor Ms Tamilisai Soundararajan
also paid their last respects to the chopper crash victims.
Earlier, the bodies of the Gen Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat
and 11 others, draped in National flag, were brought in a flower
bedecked military vehicle and lined up at the MRC premises for
the dignitaries to pay their last respects.
Later, the bodies were taken in ambulances from MRC to the Sulur
air base by road amid tight security. It took about two hours to
cover the 80 km distance.
Tens and hundreds of people, carrying National Flags lined up
on both sides of the road all along the route and paid their
respects by showering flower petals and shouting slogans hailing
their supreme sacrifice.
Shouts of 'Bharat Mata ke Jai' by a large number of people, who
have assembled in front of the Sulur air base, rent the air, as
the ambulances carrying the bodies entered the base.
Soon after last of the ambulances entered the premises, the
main gates of the air base was closed by security officials.
Meanwhile, two minor mishaps--one involving a police van, part
of the convoy escorting the bodies, and the other involving an
ambulance carrying one of the bodies of the victims--were
reported during the route from MRC to Sulur air base.
Seven police personnel suffered minor injuries, when the axle
of the police van broke near a turn on the Parliyar Ghat road.
Doctors, who were travelling in an ambulance as part of the
convoy, immediately offered them first aid and shifted to the
injured cops to the Mettupalayam Government hospital.
A few minutes later, one of the ambulances carrying the body
of the victim, met with a minor mishap about 45 km before
Sulur air base. Another ambulance was summoned immediately
and the locals helped in shifting the body to it.
After a minor delay, the ambulance left for Sulur air base.
Earlier, the Air Chief Marshal, accompanied by senior officials,
visited the crash site today and held inquiries with the locals
at Katteri who had witnessed the crash.
The black box or the Cockpit Voice, Flight Data Recorder of the
ill-fated Chopper was recovered from the crash site.
Official sources said the black box were found in the dense
forest area of Nachapurachathiram near the crash site at
Katteri.
An analysis of the Flight Data Recorder will give more insight into
the crash which occurred soon after the chopper took off from Sulur
air base to Defence Services Staff College (DSSC), Wellington where
Gen Bipin Rawat was slated to deliver a talk to the young officers
of his alma mater.
The IAF has ordered a high level inquiry into the crash which
took place shortly after it took off from Sulur air base en route
to Wellington and the entire crash site was cordoned off by the
military forces.
The Tamil Nadu police also launched field level investigations
with locals and eyewitnesses.
UNI GV 1540