‘Will remember Gen Rawat as an exceptional leader’, Blinken tweets

US secretary of state Anthony Blinken took to Twitter to share his condolences on the demise of CDS Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat, and 11 others in the IAF chopper crash near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu. “We'll remember Gen Rawat as an exceptional leader who served his country and contributed to the US-India defense relationship,” Blinken tweeted.

Uttarakhand government has declared a three-day state mourning from December 9 to 11 to condole the death of CDS Bipin Rawat.

Cremation of Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and his wife to be conducted on December 10 in Delhi Cantonment, reports ANI. “Their mortal remains are expected to arrive in the [Delhi] in a military plane by tomorrow evening,” the report added.

During today's CCS meeting chaired by PM Narendra Modi, and attended by Union home minister Amit Shah, NSA Ajit Doval, and external affairs minister S Jaishankar, among others, observed two minutes of silence and paid tributes to the deceased in the IAF chopper crash. CDS Bipin Rawat and his wife Madhulika Rawat were among 13, who lost their lives in the crash that happened near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter to offer condolences for the death of CDS Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat, and 11 others who died in the IAF chopper crash. In a series of tweets, PM said Rawat was an “outstanding soldier” and a “true patriot”, who served with “utmost diligence.” Read more.

The five-member committee of SKM has unanimously accepted the revised draft proposals from Centre, farm union leader Inderjit Singh told HT.  “It is very likely that the farmers’ agitation will be called off tomorrow when a formal invitation for talks is sent to the farm body,” he added.

Indian Air Force (IAF) has confirmed the death of CDS Bipin Rawat along with his wife Madhulika Rawat. Besides then, 11 others on board the chopper have died in the incident.

Wing commander Prithvi Singh Chauhan was the pilot of IAF chopper Mi-17V5 that crashed with 14 passengers, including CDS Bipin Rawat, on board near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu. He is the commanding officer of the 109 Helicopter Uni, ANI reports citing sources.

Mumbai City Sessions Court has dismissed the bail plea applications of police officers Nandkumar Gopale and Asha Korke, who were held in connection with the extortion case involving the former Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh.

Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) will meet at 6.30pm today, reports ANI.

Olaf Scholz sworn in as Germany's new chancellor. He replaced Angela Merkel, thereby ending her long 16-year-old tenure.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh to give statement on IAF chopper crash in Parliament tomorrow.

Union minister Anurag Thakur said on Wednesday that the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awaas Yojna will continue till 2024.

Indian Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane briefs defence minister Rajnath Singh on IAF chopper crash in Delhi's South Block.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), which is holding a vital meet on whether to end agitation, offers condolences for the victims of the IAF chopper crash that was carrying CDS Bipin Rawat and his wife Madhulika Rawat, among 12 others. The farmer union describes the crash incident as a “very painful incident.”

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has reached the residence of CDS Bipin Rawat. The CDS along with his wife Madhulika Rawat, and other staff, was in the IAF chopper that crashed near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu.

India's Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhuri is flying to the IAF chopper crash site.

Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin to leave for Coimbatore at 5pm and head to the crash site in Nilgiris district.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh is monitoring the situation regarding the IAF chopper crash. He has also briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the crash in which CDS Bipin Rawat and his wife Madhulika, among 12 others, were on board.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh to brief Parliament on IAF chopper crash where CDS Bipin Rawat and his wife Madhulika Rawat, among 12 others, were present.

As many as 14 passengers were on board the IAF chopper, including CDS Bipin Rawat and his wife Madhulika Rawat, among others, which was heading to Wellington from Sulur. A total of eight ambulances are currently on spot for rescue operations, with local police and army present as well. Those who have been rescued are being shifted to a government hospital in Coonoor.

The CDS was accompanied by his wife Madhulika Rawat, his staff and some other officials. Here's latest report by Hindustan Times.

CDS Bipin Rawat, his staff and some family members were in the Mi-series chopper that crashed between Coimbatore and Sulur in Tamil Nadu. Search and rescue operations launched from nearby bases, news agency ANI reported qouting sources.

Deaths and hospitalisations from Covid-19 will continue to rise in Europe in the coming weeks as vaccination rates remain insufficient to counter the trends, a key European health agency warned Tuesday. Read More