Defence minister Rajnath Singh will address both the Houses of Parliament about the military chopper crash near Coonoor, which killed 13 people, including the chief of the defence staff, General Bipin Rawat. Rawat was heading to a programme at the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington. Unfortunately, the chopper crashed minutes before reaching its destination in Wellington. General Rawat, India’s first chief of defence staff, received tributes from all across the nation.  

Bipin Rawat’s and his wife’s mortal remains are expected to arrive in Delhi on a military plane by Thursday evening. 

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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.

The Uttarakhand government has declared a three-day state mourning beginning December 9 in over Bipin Rawat’s untimely death. 

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. 

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Sonia Gandhi, the Congress President, has asked her supporters not to celebrate her birthday on Thursday. 

The US, Russia, China, and Pakistan have all expressed their sorrow over Gen Rawat’s death.

The IAF has launched an investigation into the crash because little is known about what caused it. Poor visibility appears to be the cause, according to early reports. Since 2012, the Indian Air Force has operated the Mi17V5 helicopter, which is an advanced military transport helicopter. The pilot of the doomed chopper was Wing Commander Prithvi Singh Chauhan

As the chopper crashed into difficult terrain, the rescue became more difficult. Witnesses in the area said they had never heard anything like it.