IAF chopper crash: Lance Naik B Sai Teja laid to rest with military honours in Chittoor

The last rites of Lance Naik B Sai Teja were performed on Sunday, December 12, with military honour in his native village of Regadapalle in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. He was among the 13 people, including Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat, and his wife Madhulika Rawat, who passed away in a helicopter crash that occurred near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu on December 8. 

According to reports, thousands of people from nearby villages attended the last rites which were performed by his father and brother Chaitanya, who is also an Army jawan. Sai Teja's wife Syamala collapsed on the ground when the coffin was brought in while his father B Mohan was inconsolable.

Nation pays respect to Lance Naik Sai Teja

Earlier on December 11, the body of the soldier was received at the Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bengaluru with full military honours. And at the Command Hospital on Sunday by the Parachute, he was accorded with military honour. Following this, the soldier's body was moved to Chittoor under the command of Col Shekar Attri of Parachute Regiment Training Centre. 

Upon receiving information of the tragic incident, the government of Andhra Pradesh had announced an ex-gratia of Rs 50 lakh to Lance Naik Sai Teja's family. While Panchayat Raj Minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy and Excise Minister K Narayana Swami visited Sai's home and consoled his family. Reddy informed that Sai's family has requested to provide a government job to his wife and this matter would be conveyed to the Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy.

IAF chopper crash in Tamil Nadu

Earlier on December 8, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat, and 11 other defence personnel who were on board IAF’s Mi-17V5 chopper died after it crashed near Tamil Nadu’s Coonoor.

Others who lost their lives in the Tamil Nadu Chopper crash include Rawat’s Defence Adviser Brig Lakhbinder Singh Lidder, Wing Commander PS Chauhan, Squadron Leader K Singh, JWO Das, Junior Warrant Officer Pradeep A, Havildar Satpal, Naik Gursewak Singh, Naik Jitender Kumar, Lance Naik Vivek Kumar, and Lance Naik Sai Teja.

(Image: @ANI/TWITTER)