PIONEER NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
Political leaders across the country expressed shock and grief following Sunday’s helicopter crash near Kedarnath in Rudraprayag, which claimed the lives of all seven on board including a 23-month-old child and the pilot. The deceased have been identified as Captain Rajbeer Singh Chauhan (39) from Jaipur, Vikram Rawat from Ukhimath, Vinod Devi (66) from Uttar Pradesh, Trishti Singh (19) from Uttar Pradesh, and a couple from Maharashtra Rajkumar Suresh Jaiswal (41) and Shraddha Rajkumar Jaiswal (35) along with their 23-month-old daughter Kashi.
Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed his condolences via social media. “The extremely distressing news of a helicopter crash in Rudraprayag district has been received. SDRF, local administration and other rescue teams are engaged in relief and rescue operations,” he wrote on X. Maharashtra deputy CM Eknath Shinde also conveyed his condolences to the Jaiswal family, assuring them of all necessary assistance. “The tragic helicopter accident at Gaurikund en route to Kedarnath claimed the lives of three devotees from the Jaiswal family of Wani, Yavatmal district. This is a deeply saddening incident,” Shinde wrote on X. Former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot also extended his condolences to the families of those who died in the tragedy. “The helicopter crash near Kedarnath, resulting in the death of seven individuals, including Jaipur resident pilot Rajbeer Singh Chauhan, is extremely tragic. In this difficult time, my deepest condolences are with the grieving families. May God grant them the strength to bear this shock and provide peace to the souls of the departed. Om Shanti,” Gehlot wrote in a post on X. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee also expressed her condolences wrote via social media.
