A portion of the helipad tarmac sank after a helicopter carrying President Droupadi Murmu landed at Pramadam Stadium. Following the collapse of the concrete section, the aircraft’s wheels reportedly got stuck in it. The incident occurred during the landing on the newly constructed helipad.
Security personnel and the fire brigade team pushed out the chopper's wheels for the pit created during the landing. Visuals shared by the news agency ANI show the rescue team, along with police officers,s pushing the chopper.
Due to bad weather conditions near Pamba, the original landing spot at Nilackal was changed. The Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium was finalised at the eleventh hour as the new landing site, and the helipad was constructed there late on Tuesday.
“The concrete had not set completely and therefore, it could not handle the helicopter's weight when it landed and depressions were formed where the wheels touched the ground,” a senior district police officer told news agency PTI.
Meanwhile, President Murmu offered prayers at the Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala, Pathanamthitta, in Kerala. Devaswom Minister V. N. Vasavan received President Murmu. Murmu arrived at Thiruvananthapuram Airport for a four-day official visit from October 21 to 24.
Congress MP Anto Antony said, "When the President visits the state, it is the responsibility of the State Government to make proper arrangements. Due to the difficulty of landing the helicopter at Nilakkal because of the weather, the State Government only considered Plan B yesterday evening...Even when the President travelled by road, the State Government did not follow security protocols...I believe that there were lapses in the decisions taken by the State Government."