Daughters perform last rites as Gen Rawat is cremated with military honours

Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat was cremated with full military honours at the Brar Square crematorium in Delhi Cantonment on Friday.

General Rawat, his wife Madhulika, and 11 other defence personnel were killed when an Mi17V5 helicopter carrying them crashed near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday afternoon.

General and Mrs Rawat's last rites were performed by their daughters Kritika and Tarini.

The CDS was accorded a 17-gun salute, according to laid down protocols.

A ceremonial battery of 2233 Field Regiment provided the gun carriage. About 800 service personnel were in attendance for the military funeral.

The CDS's final journey began amid chants of 'Jab tak suraj chand rahega, Rawatji ka naam rahega'.

The general and his wife's mortal remains were kept at their official residence in Delhi before cremation, to allow people to pay respects.

Earlier in the day, outside his official residence at 3, Kamraj Marg, several people who had gathered, raised slogans of 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai', 'Gen Rawat amar rahe', and 'Uttarakhand ka heera amar rahe', while dignitaries paid floral tributes and last respects till the funeral procession left the bungalow.

General Rawat's daughters performed the traditional rituals before the caskets of their parents were moved to the gun carriage.

Home Minister Amit Anilchandra Shah, National Security Advisor Ajit Kumar Doval and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi were among the host of dignitaries who laid wreaths on the mortal remains of General Rawat and his wife.