RIP Gen Bipin Rawat: Cremation of Rawat, his wife to be done on Friday in Delhi Cantonment

Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat who was on board the Army helicopter that crashed in Coonoor, Tamil Nadu, passed away on Wednesday. His wife Madhulika Rawat and 11 others on board also died in the crash.

Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy on Wednesday sought a probe by a senior Supreme Court Judge into the helicopter crash near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu that killed India's first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Bipin Rawat, his wife and 11 others. (PTI)

Former Army chief General (retd) Shankar Roychowdhury pays tribute

Describing Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat as a "very good officer from a fine military family", former Army chief General (retd) Shankar Roychowdhury on Wednesday said that Rawat was making "necessary adjustments" among the three forces."He was a bright cadet and justified all our expectations by getting the sword of honour in his course," Roychowdhury, who was also the staff officer of Gen Rawat's father Lt Gen (retd) LS Rawat for some time, said.

US embassy in India mourns demise of Rawat

"As India’s first Chief of Defence Staff, GeneralRawatspearheaded a historic period of transformation in the Indian military. He was a strong friend and partner of the United States, overseeing a major expansion of India's defense cooperation with the USmilitary."

Sonia Gandhi urges party members to avoid celebrations

Congress president Sonia Gandhi has decided not to celebrate her birthday on Thursday, says AICC general secretary KC Venugopal and urges party workers and supporters to strictly avoid any celebrations due to the death of General Bipin Rawat.

"General MM Naravane andall ranks of the Indian Army express their deepest grief and sorrow over the untimely demise of General Bipin Rawat, Chief of Defence Staff, Mrs Madhulika Rawat, President DWWA and11 other military personnel in an unfortunate air accident today,"Indian Army has said.

President Kovind's event at Mumbai Raj Bhavan put off

President Ram Nath Kovind, who is on a visit to Maharashtra, was scheduled to inaugurate the Darbar Hall at the Raj Bhavan here on Wednesday, but the event was put off. Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari himself announced that the event was “put off”. Koshyari did not specify any reason for the same.

Group Captain Varun Singh SC, Directing Staff at DSSC with injuries is currently under treatment at Military Hospital, Wellington, Indian Air Force has said.

Indian Air Force’s Group Captain Varun Singh, injured in a military chopper crash, was awarded Shaurya Chakra on this year’s Independence Day for saving his LCA Tejas fighter aircraft during an aerial emergency in 2020.

Thirteen of the 14 occupants of the IAF helicopter that crashed in Tamil Nadu were killed, one has survived, a male, said Nilgiris Collector.

Wing Commander Prithvi Singh Chauhan was pilot of the Mi-17V5 which crashed with 14 personnel on board including CDS Gen Bipin Rawat. He is the Commanding Officer of the 109 Helicopter Unit, sources told ANI.

IAF statement is expected soon, sources in Coimbatore IAF told DH.

Helicopter crashes with India military chief on board, 7 dead

A helicopter carrying India's defence chief General Bipin Rawat crashed on Wednesday, the air force said, with a government minister at the scene saying at least seven people were dead.

Rawat is India's first chief of defence staff, a position that the government established in 2019, and is seen as close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The 63-year-old was travelling with his wife and 12 others in a Russian-made Mi-17 chopper that "met with an accident today near Coonoor, Tamil Nadu", the Indian Air Force said.

It was unclear whether Rawat had survived the accident.

Footage from the scene showed a crowd of people trying to extinguish the fiery wreck with water buckets while a group of soldiers carried one of the passengers away on an improvised stretcher.

At least seven bodies had been recovered, Tamil Nadu forests minister K. Ramachandran said from the scene of the crash, according to the Times of India.

Army Chief General MM Naravane has briefedDefence Minister Rajnath Singh over the incident of the crash of a military chopper in Tamil Nadu, that was also carrying CDS Gen Bipin Rawat.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has reached General Bipin Rawat's residence, to brief the family of the current situation.

Saddened to hear that the IAF chopper carrying CDS General Bipin Rawat crashed. I am trying to gather more information on the incident. As per preliminary information, he has been taken to hospital for treatment: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai

Mamata stops review meeting midway after learning about army chopper crash in Tamil Nadu

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee ended midway an administrative review meeting on Monday as soon as she came to know that an army chopper, with Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen Bipin Rawat on board, crashed in Tamil Nadu. "We have received sad news. I am shocked. I have no words to express my grief. I am ending this meeting," she said and left the venue of the meeting. An Indian Air Force helicopter with Gen Rawat on board met with an accident on Wednesday near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu.

IAF chopper crash: Air Force chief Marshal VR Chaudhari is reaching Sulur airbase, sources told ANI.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has briefed PM Modi about the crash of the IAF chopper carrying CDS Bipin Rawat andothers. A meeting of senior Defence Ministry officials is underway, sources told ANI.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin will reach Coonoor by evening.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will brief the Parliament about the chopper crash

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will brief the Parliament about the chopper crash.

Meanwhile, Tamil NaduCM M K Stalin jas directed Nilgiris District administration to help the Army in the rescue operations.

District Collector,DGP Sylendra Babu and SP have reachedthe spot.

Defence Minister is likely to make a statement in Parliament shortly

Fourteen people were aboard the military chopper that crashed. They included CDS Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat, Brig LS Lidder, Lt Col Harjinder Singh, NK Gursewak Singh, NK Jitendra Kr, L/Naik Vivek Kumar, L/Naik B Sai Teja andHav Satpal.

The chopper crashed 10 minutes before it was to reach its destination.

High level medical team has been rushed from Coimbatore.

Just in | Bodies recovered from the site of the crash (between Coimbatore and Sulur) have been taken to Military Hospital, Wellington in Tamil Nadu,sources told ANI.

IAF chopper crash: Four bodies recovered, three injured persons rescued

Four bodies recovered, three injured persons rescued from IAF helicopter crash site in TN: Official sources. (PTI)

IAF chopper crash: Two bodies with 80% burns taken to local hospital

The local military officers have reached the location and were told that locals have taken two bodies with 80 per cent burns to a local hospital. Few bodies can be seen downhill in the area of the accident. Efforts are on to retrieve the bodies and check identities: Sources (ANI)

CDS Rawat on board IAF Mi-17V5 helicopter that crashed at Coonoor

Army helicopter crashes in TN's Coonoor

Army helicopter carrying senior Defence officials crashes at Coonoor in Nilgiris district in TN: Official sources (PTI)

Congress gave India its first woman PM, UP its first women CM: Priyanka Gandhi

Congress gave the first woman PM to the country. Congress' Sucheta Kripalani was the first woman CM. Our country had the first woman PM when other countries had very low women representation at that level: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Congress General Secretary, in Lucknow (ANI)

Congress gave 40% representation to women so that their empowerment isn't confined to just paper: Priyanka Gandhi

We gave 40% representation to women (for UP Assembly polls) so that their empowerment doesn't remain confined to paper. When women will truly be a part of politics then it will be translated not on paper but on ground: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Congress General Secretary in Lucknow (ANI)

Would be problematic if withdraw protest but Centre doesn't take back cases: BKU leader Chaduni

Priyanka Gandhi launches Congress women's manifesto for UP polls in Lucknow

Shiva Sena mulling possible alliance with Congress in Goa Assembly polls

Sudha Bhardwaj to be released from jail on cash bond of Rs 50,000: Special NIA Court

Bhima Koregaon case: Advocate-activist Sudha Bharadwaj to be released from jail on a cash bond of Rs 50,000 with one or more sureties, rules Special NIA court (ANI)

Sukesh Chandrasekhar case: Jacqueline Fernandez appears before ED in Delhi

5G roll out should be India's national priority: Mukesh Ambani

India must complete the migration from 2G to 4G to 5G at the earliest and the roll out of 5G should be India's national priority, MukeshAmbani, Chairman and Managing Director, Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), said here on Wednesday.

Delivering the virtual keynote address at the Indian Mobile Congress (IMC),Ambanisaid that to keep millions of Indians at the bottom of the socio-economic pyramid confined to 2G is to deprive them of the benefits of the digital revolution. (IANS)

Fire breaks out near maternity ward ICU of Delhi hospital

A fire broke out near the maternity ward's ICU of Dr Hedgewar Arogya Sansthan hospital here in Shahadra on Tuesday night, Delhi Fire Service officials said.

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SKM to hold urgent meeting in Delhi at 10am today

Samyukt Kisan Morcha's 5-member committee to hold an urgent meeting in New Delhi at 10 am today (ANI)

Encounter between security forces and terrorists breaks out in J&K's Shopian district

Ludhiana Police arrested 3 accused in connection with the robbery in Focal Point area on November 15.

"We've recovered a pistol, 5 live cartridges, over Rs 1 lakh cash, motorcycle, laptop, and other things from their possession," said Police Commissioner GPS Bhullar. (ANI)

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison says it will join the US in a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.(The Associated Press)