Mortal remains of Group Captain Varun Singh reach Bhopal, last rites on December 17

Varun Singh. File Pic

The mortal remains of Group Captain Varun Singh, who died at a military hospital in Bengaluru on Wednesday after surviving in a chopper crash in Tamil Nadu, reached at Bhopal Airport.

At Bhopal's Raja Bhoj airport, military officials and political leaders paid tribute to the decorated air warrior and after that, the body was taken to his home in Sun City Garden.

As per information, the last rites will be performed at Bairagarh crematorium on Friday morning (December 17). The local administration had planned the last rites at Bhadbhada crematorium, but Varun Singh's father requested the district administration to arrange the funeral at Bairagarh crematorium, citing reason of traffic jam.

Singh had suffered serious injuries in the chopper crash that occurred near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu that resulted in the death of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat, his wife and 11 armed forces personnel on December 8.

Singh was conferred with the Shaurya Chakra, India's third-highest peacetime gallantry award, in August this year for displaying exemplary composure and skill when his Tejas aircraft developed a technical snag during a sortie.

Singh's parents originally hail from Uttar Pradesh, however, they have been residing in Bhopal for the last several years. Singh's father Colonel K.P. Singh (retired) and his younger brother are serving in the Indian Navy.

Also Read: Group Captain Varun Singh's rich service to nation will never be forgotten: PM Modi

Singh got married in January 2008 after meeting Geetajnjali while she was studying in a Pune college. The couple has two kids -- a son and a daughter. Earlier in the day, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced a 'Samman Nidhi' of Rs 1 crore to the kin of the officer. "The state government will give Rs one crore as Samman Nidhi to the family of martyred Group Captain Varun Singh and in consultation with them, install his statue here, name an institution after him and also offer a job to his kin in the state government, as per laid down practice," Chouhan said.

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