Maharashtra Family, Ex-Army Pilot Among 7 Victims Of Kedarnath Chopper Crash

NDTV

15-06-2025

Rajkumar Suresh Jaiswal, 41, was in Uttarakhand visiting the Kedarnath temple. He, along with his wife, Shraddha Jaiswal, and their 23-month-old daughter Kashi Rajkumar Jaiswal, was returning to Guptkashi from Kedarnath when their helicopter crashed. All seven people on board the Aryan Aviation Bell 407 helicopter, including the Jaiswal family, died in the crash near Gaurikund, Sunday morning.
The helicopter took off from Guptkashi at 05:10 am and landed at Kedarnath Dham at 05:18 am. A minute later, at 5:19 am, the helicopter took off again for Guptkashi but crashed on the way, near Gaurikund.
Deteriorating weather is said to be the cause of the incident. The pilot attempted to fly the chopper out of the valley, but it crashed.
The victims have been identified as - Captain Rajbir Singh Chauhan (39), resident of Jaipur; Vikram Rawat (47) a Badarinath Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) employee; Vinod Devi (66), Trishti Singh (19), both residents of Uttar Pradesh and the Jaiswal family from Maharashtra's Yavatmal.
Victims Of Uttarakhand Helicopter Crash
Rajkumar Suresh Jaiswal was a renowned coal businessman and transporter in Wani, Maharashtra. After the death of his first wife, he married Shraddha. Mr Jaiswal, known to be a religious person, left Wani on June 12 to visit the Kedarnath temple, as per their family friends, while their son, Vivaan, stayed back.
Shraddha Jaiswal and Rajkumar Suresh Jaiswal
Rajveer Singh Chauhan, the pilot of the crashed helicopter, had served in the Indian Army for over 15 years and retired as a lieutenant colonel. During his service in the Army, he "orchestrated complex military operations, optimising performance through rigorous risk assessment and resource allocation", as per his LinkedIn profile.
Mr Chauhan had undergone training in various helicopter types and their maintenance, including understanding aviation safety protocols, aircraft handling and logistical management.
Captain Rajveer Singh Chauhan
A resident of Shastri Nagar in Jaipur, Captain Chauhan was working as a pilot with Aryan Aviation Private Limited since October 2024. He reportedly had vast experience in flying missions over different terrains.
Mr Chauhan recently became a father of twins, the sources said.
What Next
The bodies, charred to death, are unidentifiable. A DNA test will be conducted before handing them over to the families, said Inspector General Rajiv Swaroop.
Helicopter services will not run today and tomorrow, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said, speaking to the news agency ANI. "These services will remain closed until the safety of the passengers is ensured. Life of every passenger is of utmost importance to us," he said.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) will probe the crash.
What Politicians Are Saying
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde shared grief with the Jaiswal family and assured all necessary assistance to the family.
'This incident is unfortunate and sorrowful, and instructions have been given to the concerned authorities to provide all necessary assistance to the family. I share in the grief of the Jayswal family, and the government stands firmly with them. I offer my humble tributes to the devotees who lost their lives in this accident,' he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
केदारनाथकडे जाणाऱ्या हेलिकॉप्टरला गौरीकुंड येथे अपघात होऊन यवतमाळ जिल्ह्यातील वणी येथील जयस्वाल कुटुंबातील तिघा भाविकांचा दुर्दैवी मृत्यू झाल्याची माहिती यवतमाळच्या आपत्ती निवारण कक्षाकडून मिळाली. ही दुर्घटना दुर्दैवी आणि दुःखद असून या कुटुंबास आवश्यक ते सर्व साह्य करण्याच्या…
— Eknath Shinde - एकनाथ शिंदे (@mieknathshinde) June 15, 2025
Former Chief Minister of Rajasthan Ashok Gehlot extended condolences to the families of those who died in the helicopter crash. In a post on X, Mr Gehlot wrote, 'The helicopter crash near Kedarnath, resulting in the death of seven individuals, including Jaipur resident pilot Shri Rajveer Singh Chauhan, is extremely tragic. In this difficult time, my deepest condolences are with the grieving families. May God grant them the strength to bear this shock and provide peace to the souls of the departed. Om Shanti.'
केदारनाथ के पास हुए हेलिकॉप्टर क्रैश में जयपुर निवासी पायलट श्री राजवीर सिंह चौहान समेत 7 व्यक्तियों की मृत्यु अत्यंत दुखद है। इस कठिन समय में मेरी गहरी संवेदनाएं शोक संतप्त परिजनों के साथ हैं, ईश्वर उन्हें यह आघात सहने की शक्ति प्रदान करें एवं दिवंगतों की आत्मा को शांति प्रदान…
— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) June 15, 2025
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has issued strict instructions regarding helicopter operations and called for a stringent standard operating procedure (SOP) for operating helicopters in Uttarakhand.