A military helicopter carrying India’s defence chief General Bipin Rawat has crashed, killing at least four people.

Officials said they were still checking to see if the country’s most senior general was among the injured or the dead.

The helicopter crashed in southern India near the town of Coonoor, Tamil Nadu.

An IAF Mi-17V5 helicopter, with CDS Gen Bipin Rawat on board, met with an accident today near Coonoor, Tamil Nadu.
An Inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident.

Reports said General Rawat and his wife Madhulika Rawat were among 14 people travelling in the helicopter when it crashed.

Public broadcaster Prasar Bharati said three people were taken to hospital.

In a tweet, the Indian Air force confirmed the general had been “on board” when it “met with an accident” and that an inquiry “has been ordered” into the incident.

Television images showed the helicopter in flames as local residents tried to douse the fire.

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Local news channels also showed a flight manifest that displayed the names of nine people as passengers, including General Rawat’s wife and other senior defence officials.

Appointed to new position in 2019

General Rawat was travelling from an Indian Air Force base in Sulur to the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu to deliver a lecture when the accident happened.

He was appointed as India’s first Chief of Defence Staff by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government in late 2019.

The position was set up with the aim of integrating India’s army, navy and air force.

The Air Force said that the general was travelling in an Mi-17V5 helicopter – a Russian military chopper which is widely used by the forces.

“This is a safe, proven helicopter, I have travelled on it in difficult situations,” former army chief JJ Singh said.

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