The mortal remains of 13 martyrs, including the country's first Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat and his wife Madhulika, who were martyred in the Coonoor helicopter crash, were flown with full respect from the Madras Regimental Center in Tamil Nadu at around 7:40 pm on Thursday at Palam Airport in New Delhi. The bodies of those who were killed during the incident will be cremated in New Delhi only on Friday afternoon.
After the bodies were landed, the family members of the martyrs reached the place to bid farewell and pay tribute to their loved ones. The atmosphere of the airport was inconsolable as every eye was moist. The daughters of General Rawat and other martyrs could not control their emotions after seeing loved ones in the coffin.
General Bipin Rawat's daughters Karthika and Tarini gazed at their father’s dead body when the coffin was lowered from the Hercules plane. Both of them bowed down and were crying badly.
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Aashna, daughter of Brigadier LS Lidder, reached near the coffin and watched for a few moments and then bowed down and kissed his coffin. Like Aashna, her mother also paid her respects by placing her head on her husband's coffin.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also reached to pay tribute at the airport. Apart from paying tribute to the martyrs, PM Modi tried to console them by meeting each martyr's family.
Have a look at some pictures from the airport:-
The public can pay tribute to CDS General Bipin Rawat from 11 am to 12.30 pm on Friday at Karaj Marg residence. After this, the body will be taken to Delhi Cantt, Brar Square for the last rites.