'He asked for water,' says eyewitness who claims he saw CDS Gen Bipin Rawat after crash

CDS General Bipin Rawat. File Pic

An eyewitness at the site of crash in Tamil Nadu's Coonoor where the IAF chopper carrying CDS General Bipin Rawat and 13 others fell, claims he witnessed the general's last moments, as per an NDTV report.

Shiv Kumar, a contractor who works at a tea estate was visiting his brother when the helicopter crashed in the afternoon of December 8.

Kumar claims he and others rushed to the spot after he saw the helicopter catching fire and falling.

Watch: Video: Final moments of Mi-17 chopper carrying CDS Bipin Rawat and 13 others

"We saw three bodies fall...one man was alive. He asked for water. We pulled him out in a bedsheet and he was taken away by rescuers," Shiv Kumar told NDTV.

He added three hours later someone showed him a photo of the CDS and informed him that the man he spoke with was Gen Rawat.

"I could not believe that this man did so much for the country...and could not even get water. I could not sleep all night," Shiv Kumar said, tearing up.

General Rawat reportedly died on the way to hospital.