Chennai, Dec 10 (IANS): Tamil Nadu police on Friday felicitated the villagers and estate workers who were the first to reach the spot when the helicopter M1-17V5 carrying Chief of Defence Service (CDS) General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and 12 others crashed at Kateri near Coonoor.

Tamil Nadu police DGP, C. Sylendra Babu was personally present while felicitating the local and estate workers who had helped to recover the mortal remains and provided blankets and other clothes to carry the injured to the Wellington Army hospital.

While handing over blankets, clothes, and eatables to the local estate workers in Conoor, ther DIG told media: "The local people who are workers in tea estates has done a yeoman service by rushing to the place on hearing about the accident. The service of these people have to be recorded and hence we are felicitating them."

Meanwhile, he said that the state police, under the leadership of ADSP Muthumanickam, who is heading the special team investigating the case, have recorded eyewitnesses' statements.

"We have already taken the account of 25 people and will be handing over these statements to the Army special team led by Air Marshall Manavendra Singh," he told the media.