Kerala: Part of helipad collapses as President Droupadi Murmu's chopper lands, crew pushes it to safety

A section of the helipad at Pramadam Stadium in Kerala partially collapsed when the helicopter carrying President Droupadi Murmu touched down on Wednesday during her visit to the Sabarimala temple.

Officials at the site stated that the tarmac sank immediately after the aircraft landed. Police and fire personnel rushed to the scene and manually pushed the chopper to a safe area, ensuring no damage occurred. 

The incident did not pose any risk to the President.

President Murmu is on a four-day official visit to Kerala from October 21 to 24. She arrived at Thiruvananthapuram Airport on Tuesday, where she was welcomed by Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and Union Minister George Kurian.

During her visit, the President is scheduled to offer prayers at Sabarimala Temple, unveil the bust of former President K.R. Narayanan at Raj Bhavan, Thiruvananthapuram, attend the Mahasamadhi centenary celebrations of Sree Narayana Guru at Sivagiri Mutt, and participate in the valedictory function of St. Thomas College’s Platinum Jubilee in Palai. She will also attend the centenary celebrations of St. Teresa’s College in Ernakulam on October 24.

Meanwhile, a BJP delegation, led by state party president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, met the President at Raj Bhavan and raised public concerns, including issues related to the Sabarimala gold theft case.

Also Read: President Droupadi Murmu Departs Raj Bhavan For Sabarimala Darshan

The incident at the helipad, though alarming, was handled swiftly by the ground crew, allowing President Murmu’s visit to continue safely.