India Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and NSA Ajit Doval on Thursday paid their last respects to CDS General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and the 11 Armed Forces personnel who died in a helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu. 

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The three service chiefs –  Army Chief Gen MM Naravane, Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar and IAF chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari – also paid their tributes at the Palam air base. 

The bodies will be kept at the mortuary of Army Base Hospital in New Delhi. Only the bodies of General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and Brigadier LS Lidder have been identified so far. 

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The other personnel killed in the accident are 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.

The last rites will be performed in Delhi Cantonment on Friday. From 11 am to 2 pm, the bodies would be kept in their home for people to pay their last respects, leading to a funeral procession which will begin at Kamraj Marg and end at the crematorium in Brar Square.

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Following the chopper crash, the Cabinet Committee on Security met on Wednesday. The CCS members were briefed on the tragic incident by national security adviser Ajit Doval, principal secretary to Prime Minister PK Misra, and cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba. They are likely to announce General Bipin Rawat’s successor this week.