COIMBATORE: Two days after the chopper crash at Kateri-Nanchappachatiram near Coonoor that killed Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and 12 others, two persons who recorded the final moments of the chopper appeared before Coimbatore police on Friday.
Sources said Y Joe alias Kutty (52), a wedding photographer from Ramanathapuram, shot the video on his mobile phone when he was on a trip with his friend H Nazar (52). The two visited the office of the Commissioner of Police to share their observations on the incident.
Joe said, “When the chopper was passing through Kateri at 12.24 pm, there was thick fog.” Nazar added, “I heard the chopper’s sound and started to record a video. It was flying steadily and disappeared into the fog. Within seconds, we heard a loud bang and thought the chopper crashed,” Joe added.
“We spent around 10 minutes taking photos at the place. After hearing the noise, we started searching the area to see if there was any accident. After crossing a few bends on the Ghat Road, we saw police and ambulance workers engaged in rescue operations. We gave the video to a policeman and left the spot as they told us not to stand there,” Nazar said. The two said they went to Gudalur after that. After learning about the details of the incident, they tried to approach officials in the Collectorate and SP’s office at Nilgiris but the efforts went in vain, they added.