Dornier crash: Both Navy officers cremated with full military honours

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As thousands flocked from nearby areas to bid them adieu, the squadron, in its own gesture, flew in their mortal remains till Delhi and Udaipur in Dorniers — the aircraft the duo were killed in. While the district has announced a memorial park to be built in front of Kiran’s house in Kurthala, Abhinav’s father has decided to create a trust in his son’s memory, Navy officials said here.

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Kiran and Abhinav’s bodies were flown in to Delhi and Udaipur Saturday evening in special Dornier aircrafts of their squadron INAS 310.

On Sunday, 28-year-old Lt Shekhawat’s mortal remains were taken to her ancestral village Kurthala about 70 km from Delhi. She is the nation’s first woman Navy officer to have died in the line of duty. Unknown faces from nearby areas walked to Kurthala as she was laid to rest at 11 am in a traditional Rajasthani saree and with full military honours in presence of her husband Vivek Chhoker, her family, and others. Over a hundred Navy officers from her squadron and the Delhi area, represented by Rear Admiral D M Sudan, Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Air), besides former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, BJP leader Rao Narbir Singh and local politicians attended the funeral. Family members said an invitation was also sent to the office of Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, but he did not make it to the funeral.

Similarly, in Udaipur, Lt Nagori was cremated with full military honours put together by the Army’s Rajputana Rifles battalion stationed in the area. According to a Navy spokesperson, the procession, which started at about 9 am, concluded at Ashok Nagar where he was laid to rest. Abhinav’s father Dharamchand Nagori has decided to create a trust in the name of his son.

Co-pilot Abhinav and flight observer Kiran died in a crash involving Navy’s Dornier aircraft Tuesday. While the plane’s pilot, Commander Nikhil Joshi, was rescued by a group of fishermen, the bodies of young trainees — Kiran and Abhinav — were recovered from the fuselage of the aircraft on Thursday and Friday.