Mortal remains of only four who died in IAF chopper crash identified

The Indian Army on Thursday said only four bodies of the Mi17V5 crash victims, including that of Gen Bipin Rawat, were positively identified, while mortal remains of others could not be identified because of the “severity” of the crash.

“Positive identification of only three mortal remains has been possible as of now (Gen Bipin Rawat, Mrs Madhulika Rawat and Brig LS Lidder) and their mortal remains will be released to the next of kin, for final religious rites as desired by respective families,” said an official. Later a fourth victim, Lance Naik Vivek Kumar, has also been identified.

For others, the mortal remains would be kept at the mortuary of Army Base Hospital in Delhi till the completion of positive identification formalities, he said.

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Sources said DNA fingerprinting would be used to identify the victims for which blood samples of their close relatives – parents or children or siblings – would be taken.

The close relatives of all the diseased individuals have been brought to Delhi as their help would be needed for “positive identification” using “scientific measures”, officials said, adding mortal remains would be released to the relatives only after positive identification.

In one of the country’s worst military tragedies, the IAF chopper ferrying Gen Rawat, India’s first Chief of Defence Staff, his wife, seven Indian Army and five IAF personnel (all are CDS staff) crashed in the Nilgiri forest near Ooty minutes before its scheduled touch-down at the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, killing 13 of the 14 individuals.

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The lone survivor, Group Captain Varun Singh, is being treated for burn injuries at the Command Hospital in Bengaluru. “He is critical but stable at the moment,” said an official.

While four victims have been identified, officials said the process for positive identification of remaining bodies was continuing and appropriate military funerals of all deceased were being planned in close consultation with close family members.

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