Rajnath Singh reaches Parliament, will brief on IAF chopper crash
Dec 09, 2021
New Delhi [India], December 9 : Defence Minister Rajnath Singh arrived in Parliament on Thursday, ahead of his scheduled statement in both the Houses on the military helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu.
The accident claimed the lives of 13 people including the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat and his wife Madhulika Rawat on Wednesday.
Earlier, the Defence Ministry has said the minister will give a statement in Rajya Sabha at 11.30 am and in Lok Sabha at 12.15 pm. However, the timings have now been rescheduled. Singh will make a statement in Lok Sabha at 11 am.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Wednesday confirmed the demise of General Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and 11 others, who were on-board the IAF Mi-17V5 helicopter.
General Rawat, India's first CDS, was on a visit to the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington to address the faculty and student officers of the Staff Course when his chopper crashed near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu.
General Rawat was appointed as India's first Chief of Defense Staff on December 31, 2019. He previously served as Chief of the Army Staff from January 2017 to December 2019. He was commissioned into the Indian Army in December 1978.
A veteran of counterinsurgency warfare, CDS Rawat served in the most difficult terrains including Northern and Eastern commands.
