They include Kerala’s Pradeep Arakkal and Wing Commander PS Chauhan
Team News Riveting
New Delhi, December 11
The bodies of five more armed forces personnel, killed in the IAF chopper crash near Coonoor, were identified on Saturday.
Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and his wife Madhulia Rawat were among the 13 personnel killed in the tragic chopper crash that took place on Wednesday afternoon near Coonoor in Nilgiris of Tamil Nadu. An Indian Air Force (IAF) officer is the lone survivor battling for life in Bengaluru Military Hospital.
The bodies of General Bipin Rawat, wife Madhulika Rawat and his Defence Adviser to the CDS Brigadier LS Lidder were identified on the same day. They were cremated with full military honours at Delhi’s Brar Square Crematorium on Friday.
The mortal remains of all the 13 people killed in the air accident were brought to Delhi from Sulur in Tamil Nadu on Thursday evening, a day after the crash. The unidentified bodies were kept in the mortuary of the Army Base Hospital in Delhi Cantonment. The identification of the bodies is being carried out keeping in mind the sensitivities and emotional well-being of the family members as most are beyond recognition.
On Saturday, the defence officials said that the bodies of Junior Warrant Officer (JWO) Pradeep Arakkal, Wing Commander PS Chauhan, JWO Rana Pratap Das, Lance Naik B Sai Teja and Lance Naik Vivek Kumar were identified. They were released to the close family members Saturday morning, the officials added.
The bodies are being taken to their respective home towns by air where last rites will be performed with full military honour.
The bodies of Squadron Leader Kuldeep Singh, Naik Jitender Kumar, Naik Gursewak, Lt Col Harjinder Singh and Hav Satpal Rai are yet to be positively identified.
