Updated December 8th, 2021 at 19:25 IST
Gen Bipin Rawat passes away: Netizens anguished by sudden demise of India's first CDS
India's first Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika & 11 other people on board an Indian Air Force helicopter died in a crash.
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India's first Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika and 11 other people on board an Indian Air Force helicopter died in a crash in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday. According to a statement from the IAF, Group Captain Varun Singh with injuries is currently under treatment at a military hospital in Wellington.
Gen Bipin Rawat was on a visit to Defence Services Staff College, Wellington (Nilgiri Hills) to address the faculty and student officers of the Staff Course. All communications with the helicopter were lost just before the crash between Coimbatore and Sulur in Tamil Nadu. As soon as the tragic development was confirmed by the IAF, condolences and tributes started pouring in for General Rawat and others.
India mourns the untimely demise of Gen Bipin Rawat & others
Political leaders, sports personalities, actors and people from various fields took to social media to send condolences to the families of the people killed in the accident. While remembering General Rawat's legacy, netizens also highlighted his sacrifices and achievements for the nation. Here are some of the reactions:
Final salute to the topmost Tiger. Thank you for your service. Om Shanti.
— THE SKIN DOCTOR (@theskindoctor13) December 8, 2021
It is very unfortunate. May God rest his soul in peace. 🕉 Shanti........ pic.twitter.com/YpE6bH5qpb
— Shyam (@65shyam) December 8, 2021
Tributes to all martyrs including Bipin rawat , who lost their life in unfortunate incident.
— HITESH CHAUDHARY (@Modijivi) December 8, 2021
Om shanti.🙏🙏
Legends never die🙏
— Gaurav Mishra🇮🇳 (@IAmGMishra) December 8, 2021
Om Shanti 🕉pic.twitter.com/q4jytPQIwR
What a sad day.
— Vijay Shekhar Sharma (@vijayshekhar) December 8, 2021
Om Shanti 🙏 https://t.co/Vie5oe4hXf
Tragic copter crash that bereaved the nation of its Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat Om Shanthi 🙏
— Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw (@kiranshaw) December 8, 2021
You will always live in our hearts #Bipin_Rawat Ji. Feeling pained and devastated. pic.twitter.com/nKAShyexvv
— Vineet Vats Tyagi (@vineetvatstyagi) December 8, 2021
Legends never die.
— Lieutenant Mahendra Pratap, R.A.S. (@mpsbarmer) December 8, 2021
Salute.#BipinRawat pic.twitter.com/SkxKA4H7xr
Deeply saddened by the untimely demise of General Bipin Rawat, Mrs. Rawat and the eleven other personnel of our Armed Forces. It's an unbearable loss as General Rawat was a friend and I had the honour of taking over the command of the 19th Infantry Division from him back in 2012. pic.twitter.com/P8aOAnIbRB
— Lt. General Vinod G. Khandare (@VGK_India) December 8, 2021
With deepest sorrow we bid good bye to CDS General Bipin Rawat, Mrs. Madhulika Rawat and 11 brothers.
— Major Gaurav Arya (Retd) (@majorgauravarya) December 8, 2021
The IAF said a Court of Inquiry has been ordered into the accident, involving a Mi-17VH helicopter that took off from the Sulur IAF Station in nearby Coimbatore. The helicopter carrying Rawat and others had left Sulur IAF station around 10.30 am on Wednesday and was supposed to land at DSSC in Wellington at Udhagamandalam about an hour later.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi about the crash and the IAF chief has been asked to reach the site. Krishnaswamy - an eyewitness of the crash in Tamil Naud's Upper Coonoor- said that the chopper crashed into a tree making a loud noise following which it was engulfed in flames. The locals immediately alerted the police and fire department, he said. Detailing on the incident, the eyewitness revealed that he saw the chopper collide with the tree and burst into flames on falling to the ground.
The mortal remains of CDS General Bipin Rawat and his wife along with other Armed Forces personnel killed in the chopper crash are expected to arrive in Delhi by Thursday evening. General Rawat, 63, took charge as India's first Chief of Defence Staff in January 2019. Before that, he served as Chief of Army Staff from January 2017 to December 2019.
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Published December 8th, 2021 at 19:20 IST
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