Arunachal CM Khandu dead in chopper crash

PTI Itanagar/New Delhi: The official identification process of the deceased Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu is yet to be completed even as a relative and panchayat leader identified the body, Union Minister for Development of North Eastern region B.K. Handique said on Wednesday. Handique told reporters that the panchayat leader Thupten identified the body of 56-year-old Dorjee while the other four bodies were charred beyond recognition. [caption id=“attachment_4260” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Last flight: Arunachal Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu. PTI”]  [/caption] The minister, however, said that only after the deputy commissioner takes charge of the body and the formalities are completed, they could officially confirm news about Dorjee. Asked about the successor to Dorjee, he said, “Everything will be taken care of.” Earlier in the day the ministry of external affairs confirmed that the chief minister died in the helicopter crash on 30 April while returning from Tawang to state capital Itanagar. Massive search was on for the missing chopper that reportedly went down on Saturday morning. The single engine four-seater Pawan Hans helicopter with Dorjee and four others on board went missing soon after taking off from Tawang on Saturday. Besides Khandu, others on board were pilots Captain JS Babbar, Captain TS Mamik, Khandu’ security officer Yeshi Choddak and Yeshi Lhamu, sister of Tawang MLA Tsewang Dhondup.