Baramulla, Dec 09 (KNS): The General Commanding Officer of Srinagar based Chinar Corps. D P Pandey on Thursday said that Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat, who died in an Air Force chopper crash along with 12 others yesterday in Tamil Nadu, had an emotional connect with the people of the Kashmir Valley. 

As per Kashmir News Service (KNS), talking to media persons on the sidelines of tribute ceremony for CDS Rawat, Pandey said that no other army man has emotional connect with the people of Kashmir like CDS Rawat had. 

He said that Rawat's death in the tragic accident is a major loss for the people of the Kashmir Valley especially to the people of Baramulla. 

"He worked as GOC and Commander five sector in Baramulla and both these tenures were very close to his heart and because of the support and love of the people of Baramulla General Rawat had an emotional connection with them," Pandey said.

Pandey said that he would always respond to the issues and complaints, which people of the Valley used to tell him. "He was so much concerned about the people of the valley that he used to contact me for solving the problems and their issues."

"I am sure that people are feeling the same pain by his death like the Indian army is feeling. It is a major tragedy for the country as we lost some brave hearts. Definitely it will take time to fill this irreparable loss," he added.

Notably, CDS General Bipin Rawat along with his wife and eleven others were killed in a chopper crash in Tamil Nadu yesterday, while one personnel survived in the crash, who is undergoing treatment. (KNS)