Talcher: An Odia officer identified as Rana Pratap Das was among the 13 persons who lost their lives in the tragic Indian Air Force (IAF) chopper crash near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu Wednesday.
Das belonged to Krushnachandrapur village under Kundala panchayat of Talcher locality in Angul district. He was working in IAF as a Junior Warrant Officer (JWO) for the last 12 years, a source informed.
Meanwhile, brother-in-law of the deceased JWO named Sankalp Das confirmed the officer’s death through a personal Twitter handle and wrote, “My brother-in-law Rana Pratap Das from Talcher locality of Angul district in Odisha lost his life in the IAF helicopter crash. I had talked with Rana just two days ago. He said that he would soon fly down to meet us all. I cannot believe that he is no more with us.”
Also read: Odisha civil services main examination to begin from January 20
According to the family source, the deceased IAF officer is survived by his wife, a one-year-old son including his (own) elderly parents. Mortal remains of the JWO will be brought tonight to his ancestral village in Talcher for performing the last rites, the family source added.
It is pertinent to mention here that the country’s first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika and 11 other IAF officials who were killed in the fatal incident include Commander PS Chauhan, Squadron Leader K Singh and a JWO Pradeep A.
Rawat was on a visit to Defence Services Staff College at Wellington in Nilgiri Hills to address the faculty and student officers.
Out of the 14 persons on board the chopper, Group Captain Varun Singh and Directing Staff at the Defence Services Staff College is undergoing treatment now at the military hospital in Wellington.
Rawat, along with his wife and other officials, boarded a flight at Delhi for the Sulur IAF base near Coimbatore at 8.47am Wednesday. They landed in Sulur at 11.34am. From there, they boarded the Mi-17V5 helicopter at 11.48am. At around 12.22pm, the Air Traffic Control (ATC) lost contact with the chopper that crashed in a forest.
PNN