Pathanamthitta (Kerala), Oct 22 (UNI) In an incident that has triggered serious concern over VVIP security arrangements, the helicopter carrying President Droupadi Murmu partially sank into an unset concrete helipad shortly after landing at Pramadom Indore Stadium here today.
The incident, which occurred at the Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium grounds where the helipad had been freshly constructed, is being described as a major security and procedural lapse.
Visuals showing police and fire personnel physically pushing the helicopter forward have gone viral, sparking widespread criticism and embarrassment for the Central agencies responsible for the President’s safety.
Sources said the concrete helipad surface had been completed only a few hours before the President’s arrival and had not properly set due to rain and damp weather conditions. Despite this, the landing was cleared by security and ground coordination teams.
Soon after touchdown, the helicopter’s tyres sank into the soft concrete, forcing ground staff to intervene.
There was no threat to the President’s safety. Officials confirmed that President Murmu had safely alighted from the helicopter before the incident occurred. However, observers point out that if the chopper had encountered the issue during descent, the consequences could have been severe.
The original plan had been for the President’s helicopter to land at Nilakkal. However, due to unfavourable weather conditions, the decision was changed at the last minute, diverting the aircraft to Pramadom.
The hurriedly completed helipad, still not fully cured, proved incapable of supporting the helicopter’s weight.
Following the incident, it has been decided that the same helicopter will not be used for the President’s return journey. The Indian Air Force will instead deploy another aircraft from Nilakkal, where a full structural and safety inspection has been carried out.
President Murmu arrived at Pramadom at 8:40 am and was received by Devaswom Minister VN Vasavan, MP Anto Antony, MLAs KU Jineesh Kumar and Pramod Narayanan, District Collector S. Prem Krishnan, and district police chief R. Anand.
The helipad incident took place shortly after the reception ceremony.
The President then proceeded by road to Pampa, from where she began her pilgrimage to the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple. She is scheduled to reach Sannidhanam by around 11.50 am for darshan of Lord Ayyappa.
At Pampa Ganapathi Temple, the traditional Kettunira (tying of the sacred bundle) ritual will be performed by temple priests Vishnu Namboothiri and Sankaran Namboothiri.
Though security agencies have not revealed the exact number of people accompanying the President to Sabarimala, arrangements have been made for 50 members of the entourage to perform Kettunira.
After offering prayers, the President will rest for two hours at a specially prepared suite inside the Sannidhanam administrative complex, which has been under the control of security agencies for the past two days.
The President’s lunch will be prepared by staff from Rashtrapati Bhavan in a newly refurbished kitchen at the complex.
President Murmu is expected to leave Sannidhanam at 3:10 pm and fly back to Thiruvananthapuram at 4:20 pm from Nilakkal, bypassing Pramadom.
A fresh helicopter will be deployed by the Air Force for the return journey, following a thorough safety audit of the Nilakkal helipad.
The episode, coming during the President’s historic Sabarimala visit, has prompted sharp reactions from security experts and political circles alike. Many have termed it a “serious breach” that exposed glaring gaps in coordination between local authorities and central agencies.
An inquiry into the circumstances that led to the incident is expected to be initiated soon, sources said.
