All about Lk Sai Teja, one of 13 martyrs in IAF chopper crash along with CDS Bipin Rawat

An unfortunate tragedy unfolded on Wednesday afternoon after an Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter carrying Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat and other senior defence officials and staffers crashed near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu. The chopper crash led to the untimely demise of CDS Rawat along with his wife Madhulika Rawat and 11 other passengers of the IAF helicopter. 

According to the statement released by IAF, there were 14 people onboard the ill-fated chopper. Indian Air Force’s Group Captain Varun Singh is the only survivor of the IAF chopper crash. Those who have lost their lives include Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat, Wg Cdr PS Chauhan, Sqn Ldr K Singh, Defence Assistant to CDS Brigadier LS Lidder, SO to CDS Lt. Col. Harjinder Singh, JWO Das, JWO Pradeep A, Nk Gursewak Singh, Nk Jitendra Kumar, L/Nk Vivek Kumar, L/Nk B Sai Teja and Hav Satpal.

One of the officers who were martyred in the tragic crash is Lance Naik Sai Teja, PSO to Chief of Defence Staff, Bipin Rawat. The young officer hailed from the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. Sai Teja's family is grief-stricken over the untimely demise of their son. Republic Media Network has learned that he is survived by his wife and two children. The officer, who belongs to the elite Para SF, had last visited his native place during Vinayaka Chaviti, his family said.

IAF initiates inquiry into chopper crash

The IAF has launched an inquiry into the devastating incident which claimed the lives of top defence officers and staffers. An investigating team comprising of Airforce officers carried out extensive search operations in the area where the Mi 17 V5 chopper crashed. The team has visited the spot and recovered parts of Mi 17. Search operations are underway to recover the black box.

According to the sequence of events that lead to the crash, CDS Bipin Rawat along with his wife left Delhi at 9 AM to address a lecture at Defence Services Staff College in Wellington. At 11.35 AM, the CDS landed in Sulur after which he departed for Wellington on a helicopter by 11.45 AM. The tragic crash is said to have taken place at 12.20 PM, just minutes before the chopper was to land. 

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday called a meeting of the Cabinet Committee of Security (CCS). Union Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, NSA Ajit Doval, along with other senior officials were present at the meeting. Details of the Coonoor chopper crash and the untimely demise of the CDS is said to have been discussed in the 30-minute long meeting. 

Image: ANI