Family, friends bid a teary adieu to major who died in chopper crash

The mortal remains of Major Taher Hussain Khan, who died in a helicopter crash in Kashmir, were laid to rest on Friday with full military honours at Suraram village near Hyderabad.

Khan was killed on Wednesday when the Dhruv helicopter he was co-piloting crashed in the Kurshu forest in Bandipora district of Kashmir while on a night flying sortie.

A defence release said that funeral prayer for Major Khan, who was posted with 202 Army Aviation Squadron at the time of his death, was attended by a large number of local people apart from his relatives on Friday morning.

A contingent of more than 500 army personnel paid homage to Khan, with sounding of the Last Post by trained buglers of the AOC Centre and a three guns salute.

A large number of civil officials and military officers from army, air force and navy too attended the final rites.

Khan had married only last May. His father Sarwar Hussain Khan retired from the air Force while his elder brother is working in the army and younger brother is posted at the air force station at Begumpet.

Image: Army officers lay a wreath during the last rites of Major Taher Hussain Khan. Photograph: PTI photo