Jammu: The Chib family residing in the Gho Manasa area in the outskirts of Jammu city were in celebratory mood after the wedding of their only son but all this turned into a pall of gloom on Monday as three members of the family including the newlyweds were among the seven killed in the helicopter crash at Katra.
Little did the family know that the celebratory mood of their only son Arjun Singh Chib's (25) wedding with Vandana (22) on November 18 would turn into mourning, after the newlywed couple, along with their cousin, lost their lives in the tragic helicopter crash.
Three members of the family - Arjun Singh Chib, his newlywed wife Vandana and cousin Mahesh were amongst the seven pilgrims who lost their lives in the crash.
"The two (Arjun and Vandana) got married on November 18. The family had given a grand reception on November 19 as it was the wedding of their only son. Today morning the newlywed couple left to pay their obeisance at the holy cave shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi", Preetam Singh Chib a close relative said.
He said Arjun who worked in the Indian Air Force, along with his newlywed wife Vandana and his cousin Mahesh had left to pay their obeisance to the cave shine of Mata Vaishno Devi early this morning and had booked seats in the ill-fated helicopter.
"The family was in celebratory mood as a large number of the relatives who had come to attend the wedding were still staying with the family, his uncles, cousins all were present in the home today, when the tragic news reached them", Preetam said.
He said that the family first saw the news about the helicopter crash on television after which they received a phone call from the police informing them that their son and his wife and the cousin were killed in the helicopter crash.
A pall of gloom descended the village soon after the news of the death of the newlywed couple reached Gho Manasa, village and relatives in large number started to throng the house of the deceased to express their condolences.
"We don't know how to react, we all are shell-shocked, till last night we all were here celebrating and dancing on the wedding of Arjun and in less than 12 hours we are here again to mourn his death", Kulbir Singh a local resident said.
He said that the family was in shock and the parents of the Vandana who lived a few kilometres away too have arrived after they got the news about the death of their daughter and son-in-law in the tragic incident.
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh visited Katra to personally take stock of the situation there in the aftermath of a tragic chopper crash in which seven persons including the woman pilot were killed.
Singh also visited Katra hospital and directed for early postmortem of the bodies. He also interacted with the family members of the deceased persons and assured them that the State Government would facilitate early transportation of the bodies of the crash victims to their respective States.
The Deputy Chief Minister also informed the families of the deceased that the Shrine Board has already announced a compensation of Rs 3 lakh per person besides the reimbursement of insurance component of Rs 25 lakh per deceased.
The chopper ferrying the passengers back from the over 700-year-old Vaishno Devi Shrine crashed in Katra after catching fire following a suspected bird hit.
The 2010-make chopper of private airliner Himalayan Heli service, which was carrying six pilgrims from Sanjichat helipad in Trikuta hills, crashed at the new bus stand area in Katra, IGP Jammu, Danish Rana told PTI.
In the crash, seven persons including a woman pilot were killed, DIG Udhampur-Reasi Range, Surinder Gupta said. Governor NN Vohra said according to preliminary investigation, "a vulture had hit the chopper".
He said DGCA has instituted an inquiry which will probe reasons for the crash. The shrine is located at a height of 5,300 feet on the Trikuta Hills.
Katra town is 50 km away from Jammu. Nearly one crore people visit the shrine every year, most of the trek the 13 km distance.
There are 100 two-way flights a day to Katra to a place near the shrine and back and about 1000 people use the chopper service daily. Two planes of the Himalayan Heli service and choppers of Global Victra operate on this route, Additional CEO of Shri Mata Vaishnodevi Shrine Board Ajit Kumar Sahu said.
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