The mortal remains of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat and 12 others killed in an Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu have arrived at the Palam air base in New Delhi. President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and the Chiefs of Staff of the Air Force, Navy and Army will be present for the ‘Shradhanjali’ or tribute ceremony along with some of the family members of the personnel killed in the military aircraft crash.

The unidentified bodies will be kept at the mortuary of Army Base Hospital in New Delhi till positive identification. The Army said that appropriate military funerals of all deceased are being planned and coordinated in close consultation with close family members.

Also Read: Last rites of CDS Gen Bipin Rawat will be performed with full military honours: Rajnath Singh

Only the bodies of General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and Brigadier LS Lidder have been identified so far. Their mortal remains will be released to the families for last rites, the Army said.

Also read: CDS Bipin Rawat: Remembering a general who soldiered on for four decades

Group Captain Varun Singh, the only survivor of the crash, is said to be in critical condition. The Shaurya Chakra recipient has been shifted to Bengaluru for treatment after he was admitted to the Military Hospital in Tamil Nadu’s Wellington on Wednesday.

Also read: In Pics | The life and times of Bipin Rawat, India’s first Chief of Defence Staff

CDS Bipin Rawat, Madhulika Rawat, Brigadier LS Lidder, Lt Col Harjinder Singh, Wing Commander PS Chauhan, Squadron Leader K Singh, JWO Das, JWO Pradeep A, Havildar Satpal, Naik Gursewak Singh, Naik Jitender Kumar, Lance Naik Vivek Kumar and Lance Naik Sai Teja were killed when the Indian Air Force (IAF) Mi-17V5 helicopter on its way to the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington crashed near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu on December 8. Rajnath Singh on Thursday said that the last rites of CDS General Bipin Rawat will be performed with full military honours.