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Flt Lt Rakesh Chauhan: Leicestershire funeral to be held Rakesh Chauhan funeral: Thousands honour RAF officer
(about 3 hours later)
The funeral of a Leicester RAF pilot who died when his helicopter crashed in Afghanistan will take place later. About 2,000 people lined a street in Leicester in honour of an RAF officer who died when his helicopter crashed in Afghanistan.
Intelligence officer, Fl Lt Rakesh Chauhan, 29, from Cropston, was killed alongside four others on 27 April. Intelligence officer, Flt Lt Rakesh Chauhan, 29, from Cropston, was killed alongside four others on 27 April.
Their Lynx helicopter came down in Kandahar province, 30 miles from the Pakistan border. An investigation into the cause is still under way. People along Belgrave Road, also known as the Golden Mile, paid tribute to him on Thursday morning.
Fl Lt Chauhan's funeral, with full military honours, will take place at Loughborough Crematorium later. The funeral took place at Loughborough Crematorium with full military honours.
Prayers and chanting met the cortege when it reached a sari shop belonging to Flt Lt Chauhan's family.
Rajinder Bular, who is a friend of the Chauhans, said: "I've been with the family nearly a month now. They feel proud as ever for their son. He's done very good and given his life for his country and he's died as a hero.
"On this sad occasion the family are very overwhelmed because so many came to support them."
'Charismatic and loyal''Charismatic and loyal'
His cortege will set off from Belgrave Road, in Leicester, before making its way to Loughborough for the funeral service.
Flt Lt Chauhan's family own a retail business on the Golden Mile and shops along the road will close during the procession.
Dharmesh Lakhani, chair of Belgrave Business Association, said the community wanted to support the family.Dharmesh Lakhani, chair of Belgrave Business Association, said the community wanted to support the family.
"The Chauhan family are very well known not just in Leicester but they have businesses in Birmingham and London, so a lot of people will be coming to Leicester to pay tribute to Rakesh," he said. Flt Lt Chauhan, who was born in Birmingham, was on his third tour of Afghanistan and was described as charismatic and loyal, with a contagious sense of humour.
Flt Lt Chauhan, who was born in Birmingham, was on his third tour of Afghanistan and was described as charismatic and loyal, with a "contagious" sense of humour.
He died along with Capt Thomas Clarke, Warrant Officer Class 2 Spencer Faulkner and Cpl James Walters from the Army Air Corps, and L/Cpl Oliver Thomas, of the Intelligence Corps.He died along with Capt Thomas Clarke, Warrant Officer Class 2 Spencer Faulkner and Cpl James Walters from the Army Air Corps, and L/Cpl Oliver Thomas, of the Intelligence Corps.
An investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing, but the Ministry of Defence said it happened during a routine flight. An investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing but the Ministry of Defence said it happened during a routine flight.