Rajasthan mourns again: Jaipur Pilot among victims in Gaurikund chopper crash

After suffering the loss of 14 lives in the tragic Ahmedabad plane crash on Thursday, Rajasthan has been struck by yet another aviation tragedy. A helicopter piloted by Lt Col Rajvir Singh Chauhan of Jaipur crashed near Gaurikund in Uttarakhand on Sunday morning.

The helicopter, which was en route to the Kedarnath shrine, crashed between Gaurikund and Trijuginarayan, claiming the lives of six pilgrims and the pilot, Lt Col Chauhan.

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Lt Col Chauhan had recently taken voluntary retirement from the Indian Army after serving as a pilot for around 14 years. He had joined a private aviation firm shortly thereafter.

His wife, Col Deepika Chauhan, is also a serving pilot in the Army. The couple was recently blessed with twins, born just four months ago. Col Deepika is currently on maternity leave.

A pall of gloom has descended on Shastri Nagar, Jaipur, where the family resided. Neighbours, friends, and relatives gathered at their residence, wearing sombre expressions and offering condolences.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Minister for Industries, Sports and Youth Affairs Col Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, and Leader of Opposition Tika Ram Jully have all expressed deep grief over Lt Col Chauhan’s untimely demise.

Just days earlier, 14 residents of Rajasthan were among the 275 victims of the Ahmedabad plane crash. Of these, 12 were passengers on the UK-bound flight, while two were medical students studying at BJ Medical College, where the ill-fated aircraft crashed.

Five victims each hailed from Banswara and Udaipur—districts bordering Gujarat. The remaining fatalities included one each from Bikaner, Jodhpur (Balotra), Barmer, and Hanumangarh districts.