Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday condoled the death of Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, his wife and 11 others in a chopper crash in Tamil Nadu.
“It’s a great loss.… We respect the armed forces. This is indeed an unfortunate incident or accident,” said Mamata, who cut short an administrative review meeting in Murshidabad after the Indian Air Force confirmed that Rawat was among the 13 who had died in the crash.

“Soon, there will be a meeting of the cabinet committee on security in Delhi. There may be some announcements later in the evening. I extend my condolences to the family of General Rawat and all others who lost their lives,” she added.

Earlier in the day, Mamata had called off another administrative review meeting midway in Malda when she learnt about the crash.
“What a tragic incident…. The chopper carrying General Bipin Rawat has crashed. I feel so sad,” the Bengal chief minister said as she wrapped up the first review meeting before the scheduled end.

Sources close to her said she was upset when one of her aides sent her a text message about the crash.

“The chief minister, however, could not believe that the Chief of Defence Staff could die in a crash like this as the weather was apparently suitable for flying,” a source close to Mamata said.

She tweeted in the evening: “Pained by the untimely demise of CDS General Bipin Rawat, his wife and 11 other Armed Forces personnel in the tragic accident in Coonoor today. The entire nation mourns this irreparable loss. We will always remember the courage and devotion with which he served our nation.”