Chopper crash: Army Vice Chief cuts short Qatar visit, to return to Delhi

Following the demise of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat on Wednesday, Vice Chief of the Army Staff (VCOAS) Lieutenant General Chandi Prasad Mohanty has cut short his visit to Qatar and is returning to Delhi, said sources.

The Army Vice Chief proceeded on his two-day visit to Qatar on Wednesday, the Ministry of Defence had informed.

In his scheduled visit, the Vice Chief was to take forward the excellent defence cooperation between the State of Qatar and India through multiple meetings with senior functionaries of the Qatari security establishment.

Meanwhile, the news of CDS Rawat's demise was confirmed by Indian Air Force on Wednesday through their Twitter handle that read: "With deep regret, it has now been ascertained that Gen Bipin Rawat, Mrs Madhulika Rawat, and 11 other persons on board have died in the unfortunate accident."

General Rawat, India's first CDS, was on a visit to the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington to address the faculty and student officers of the Staff Course when his chopper crashed near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu.

General Rawat was appointed as India's first Chief of Defense Staff on December 31, 2019. He previously served as Chief of the Army Staff from January 2017 to December 2019. He was commissioned into the Indian Army in December 1978.

A veteran of counterinsurgency warfare, CDS Rawat served in the most difficult terrains including Northern and Eastern commands.

( With inputs from ANI )