New Delhi, Dec 9 (PTI) The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Thursday paid homage to Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, who died in a chopper crash a day earlier, and said he shared a "deep concern for human rights".

Rawat, India's first Chief of Defence Staff, who had a vast experience across a wide spectrum of conflict and terrain profiles, was among the 13 people killed on Wednesday when the military helicopter they were travelling in crashed in a hilly area in apparently foggy conditions near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu, the Indian Air Force (IAF) and state officials earlier said.

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On Thursday, the NHRC paid tributes to the 63-year-old, who had served as an Army chief, before assuming the mantle of the new post of CDS.

"NHRC, India by observing two minutes silence pays homage to late Gen Bipin Rawat & all those who lost life in the tragic air crash alongwith him: Also pays tribute to the memory of Gen Rawat, who shared a deep concern for human rights & attended various programs of the Commission," the NHRC India wrote on its Twitter handle.

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Rawat had served as the Chief of the Indian Army from December 17, 2016, to December 31, 2019. He was appointed as India's first Chief of Defence Staff on December 31, 2019.

Army Chief Gen M M Naravane and all ranks of the force have also expressed their condolences. PTI KND

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)