Last rites of Gen Rawat, wife to be performed on Friday

The last rites of Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and his wife will be performed on Friday at Delhi Cantonment, informed sources.

Their mortal remains are expected to arrive in the national capital in a military plane by Thursday evening, the sources said.

The bodies would be brought to his house on Friday and people would be allowed to pay last respect from 11 am to 2 pm, followed by a funeral procession which will start from Kamraj Marg to Brar Square crematorium in Delhi Cantonment.

General Rawat, his wife, and 11 other personnel of the Armed Forces died after a military helicopter crashed in Coonoor in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday, the Indian Air Force said on Wednesday.

'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,' tweeted the IAF.

Gen Rawat, India's first CDS was on a visit to the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington to address the faculty and student officers of the Staff Course when his chopper crashed near Coonor in the Nilgiris district.