CDS chopper crash: CM sanctions Rs 5 lakh to Army jawan's kin

Ravinder Sood

Palampur, December 10

The Army authorities airlifted Ramesh Chand, father of Lance Naik Vivek Kumar who was killed in the Mi-17 helicopter crash along with Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen Bipin Rawat, to New Delhi today for the identification of the body, matching of the DNA and other formalities. Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur sanctioned an immediate relief of Rs 5 lakh to the bereaved family.

Vivek was killed in the helicopter crash along with CDS Gen Bipin Rawat in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday. The Tribune team today visited Theheru village of Vivek Kumar. Priyanka (25), wife of Vivek, was inconsolable. His mother Asha Devi had not consumed food for the past three days.

The family said that the Army authorities had told them that Ramesh Chand would be back home by tomorrow along with Vivek’s mortal remains. Their house was crowded with locals and mediapersons.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister sanctioned Rs 5 lakh as ex gratia to the bereaved family as immediate relief. Jaisinghpura SDM Pawan Sharma visited the family this morning and handed over the cheque to Vivek’s wife. Besides, jawans of Vivek’s unit also consoled the family.

Official sources said that Vivek’s mortal remains would be consigned to flames at his native village with full state honours tomorrow. The body is likely to reach the local Army cantonment tomorrow morning, from where it will be brought in an ambulance to the village for cremation.