New Delhi: The mortal remains of 6; 4 IAF and 2 Army personnel, who were among the 13 killed in the IAF chopper crash in Tamil Nadu, have been identified. Among those identified are Junior Warrant Officers Pradeep Arakkal, Rana Pratap Das, Wing Commander Prithvi Singh Chauhan, Squadron Leader Kuldeep Singh, Lance Naik B Sai Teja and Lance Naik Vivek Kumar.
Positive identification of the mortal remains of Lance Naik B Sai Teja and Lance Naik Vivek Kumar was done and were released to the family members a while ago. Mortal remains of the remaining personnel will be transported by air and last rites will be held with military honours. The wreath-laying ceremony will be laid at the Base Hospital in Delhi Cantt prior to departure. Efforts to positively identify the remaining are in process.
The bodies will be handed over to the families once they are “positively identified”, the officials said. “The emotional well-being of family members is of the utmost importance to us. So we are taking forward the identification process, keeping in mind the sensitivities involved,” said an official. Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and his Defence Adviser Brigadier LS Lidder, killed in the crash, were cremated with full military honours at Delhi’s Brar Square Crematorium as their bodies were positively identified.