Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to brief Parliament on chopper crash today

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. File Pic

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will address both houses of Parliament on the chopper crash in Tamil Nadu which claimed 13 lives including CDS Gen Bipin Rawat and his wife Dr Madhulika Rawat, today, NDTV reported.

Singh will speak in the Lok Sabha at 11:15 am and noon, the report said attributing sources.

"Deeply anguished by the sudden demise of Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife and 11 other Armed Forces personnel in an extremely unfortunate helicopter accident today in Tamil Nadu. His untimely death is an irreparable loss to our Armed Forces and the country," Singh had earlier tweeted.

"His untimely death is an irreparable loss to our armed forces and the country," the defence minister said.

Singh said General Rawat had served the country with exceptional courage and diligence.

"As the first Chief of Defence Staff he had prepared plans for jointness of our armed forces," he added.

"My heart goes out to the families of those who lost their loved ones in this accident. Praying for the speedy recovery of Gp Capt Varun Singh, who is currently under treatment at the Military Hospital, Wellington," Singh said.

Rajnath Singh visited the residence of General Bipin Rawat, to express condolences to the family. He has also briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the incident.

Gen Rawat was on a visit to the Defence Services Staff College at Wellington in Tamil Nadu's Nilgiri to address the faculty and student officers.

General Rawat, along with his wife and seven staff, boarded a flight at Delhi for the Sulur IAF base near Coimbatore at 8.47 a.m, landed in Sulur at 11.34 a.m., and boarded the Mi17V5 helicopter at 11:48. At 12.22 pm, the Air Traffic Control (ATC) lost contact with the chopper, which crashed in a forest area around 7 km from Coonoor.

(With agency inputs)