Group Capt Varun Singh’s last rites held with full military honours in Bhopal

BHOPAL: Group Captain Varun Singh, who succumbed to his injuries sustained in the crash of the IAF helicopter, carrying CDS General Bipin Rawat and others, in Tamil Nadu last week, was cremated with full military and state honours here on Friday.

The mortal remains, wrapped in tricolour, were brought to the cremation ground at Bairagarh area in an Army truck amid slogans.

A ceremonial guard of honour was accorded by state police and an army contingent at the cremation ground. Senior services officers laid floral wreaths on the coffin.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, along with other cabinet ministers and politicians, also paid their tributes to the departed soul.

Rituals were performed by a group of priests in the presence of his family, including his children and wife.

Group Captain Singh died at a military hospital in Bengaluru on December 15 after surviving the December 8 helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu's Coonoor area that killed General Rawat, his wife and 11 armed force personnel.

Conferred with the Shaurya Chakra, India's third highest peacetime gallantry award in August this year, he is survived by his wife, 11-year-old son and an eight-year-old daughter along with his parents.

His younger brother Tanuj Singh is an Indian Navy officer, while his father is a retired Army official.