PATHANAMTHITTA, KERALA: A minor security scare unfolded in Kerala on Wednesday morning when the helicopter carrying President Droupadi Murmu for her visit to the Sabarimala temple landed on a newly constructed helipad, causing its wheels to sink slightly into the soft, unset concrete.
The incident occurred at the temporary helipad set up at the Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium in Pramadom, Pathanamthitta, moments after the President had safely disembarked from the Indian Air Force Mi-17 chopper around 9:00 a.m.
The last-minute nature of the arrangement was cited as the cause of the lapse. Officials confirmed that the landing spot had been swiftly changed from the originally planned location of Nilakkal to Pramadom due to adverse weather conditions in the hill region. Consequently, the concrete for the emergency helipad was poured late on Tuesday night, and it had not been given adequate time to fully set and withstand the weight of the military helicopter.
Visuals later showed police and Fire and Rescue Service personnel manually pushing the multi-ton aircraft out of the small depressions created by its wheels on the soft tarmac.
Despite the unexpected complication, the President’s itinerary remained on track. She was immediately ushered into a vehicle and proceeded by road to Pamba, the base camp of the Sabarimala hill shrine, without any delay to her planned darshan (visit) at the Lord Ayyappa temple. Officials noted that no injuries or damage to the President’s convoy occurred, but the incident has raised questions regarding the preparedness and coordination for VVIP security protocol.
