Indian military chief killed in jungle air crash

INDIA’S defence chief was killed alongside his wife and 11 other people when their helicopter crashed in a jungle yesterday.

General Bipin Rawat was travelling with his wife, Madhulika, and other officers in the Russian-made MI-17V5 aircraft, when it went down in southern Tamil Nadu state.

The 63-year-old was seen as a close ally of Narendra Modi, the prime minister, who said he was “deeply anguished” by the deaths of the senior personnel.

“They served India with utmost diligence. My thoughts are with the bereaved families,” he said.

The crash of the Russian-made helicopter comes just days after Mr Modi signed a raft of defence and other deals with Moscow during a visit by President Vladimir Putin.

Footage shared on social media showed rescue workers next to the mangled wreckage which was in deep vegetation.

Gen Rawat’s position as chief of defence staff was created in 2019 to integrate India’s army, navy and air force. It was a high-profile role that also attracted heavy criticism over alleged human rights abuses by the armed forces in the Muslim-majority region of Kashmir and the country’s restive north-east.

The cause of the crash is under investigation. Residents of Coonoor, described the visibility as poor with surrounding villages enveloped in fog.

“This is a safe, proven helicopter, I have travelled on it in difficult situations,” said J.J Singh, a former army chief. India’s armed forces are known to use old hardware, and two helicopter pilots were killed in an accident in Jammu in August.