The mortal remains of five Karnataka residents killed in a helicopter crash near Joshimath in Uttarakhand have reached their respective native places for last rites, officials said on Monday. The bodies arrived at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru late on Sunday before being transported to the victims’ home districts.
The victims were identified as Prathapa, a businessman from Hassan; Arun Salunke, an inspector with the Bengaluru Police’s Central Crime Branch; advocates Shankar Gowda and K Sudheer; and H S Nataraj, a poultry businessman. The helicopter pilot, Captain Himanshu, also died in the crash.
According to officials, Salunke’s body was taken to his native village of Aratal in Athani taluk of Belagavi district. His last rites were scheduled to be held on Monday. Salunke lived in Bengaluru with his wife and two children.
Prathapa’s body reached his native village in Hassan, while Sudheer’s remains were taken to Tyavanige village in Davanagere district, where his last rites were being performed, a senior police officer said.
The bodies of Gowda and Nataraj were transported to Huliyurdurga town in Tumakuru district. The movement of the remains from Bengaluru airport to several districts followed their arrival from Uttarakhand, officials said.
The crash occurred on Friday on a hillside near Chai village in Joshimath while the helicopter was returning to Dehradun from the Badrinath shrine. The incident killed all six people on board, including the pilot. The latest movement of the bodies marks the completion of their return to Karnataka, where families are conducting the final rites in their respective native places.
