Army officer killed in helicopter crash on his birthday

New Delhi: An Indian Army helicopter crashed at 1 pm near Yongphulla in Bhutan killing Lt.Col.Rajneesh. The parents of Lt. Col. Rajneesh Parmar are inconsolable. Their permanent nightmare came true on Friday. Their son lost his life in a helicopter crash in Bhutan on his birthday.

His father was inconsolable. ‘It is an irreparable loss to the family.’ He recalled the last words of Rajneesh who spoke to them on Friday morning, when they had called to wish him on his birthday. Lt. Col. Rajneesh had said, “Thanks, Papa, I will speak to you in the evening.” His father never thought that these were going to be his son’s last words. In the evening he got a call from the army headquarters informing him about the demise of his son.

Captain Kalzang Wangdi of Bhutan who was flying the helicopter along with Lt. Col. Rajneesh also lost his life in the accident. Captain Kalzang Wangdi belonged to the Bhutanese Royal Army.

The duo was traveling on Cheetah, the Indian Army’s chopper. They started at Khirmu (Arunachal Pradesh) and were traveling to Yongfulla (Bhutan). The chopper crashed into a nearby hill, when it was reaching Yongfulla at 1 pm.

Army Spokesperson Colonel Aman Anand said, “In an unfortunate incident, an Indian Army helicopter has crashed at 1 pm near Yongphulla in Bhutan. The helicopter went out of radio and visual contact soon after 1 pm. The helicopter was on way from Khirmu (Arunanchal) to Yongphulla on duty.”