Image Source hindustantimes
President Droupadi Murmu’s ongoing four-day visit to Kerala faced a brief but tense moment on Wednesday after a partial collapse of a temporary helipad disrupted her travel schedule. The incident occurred while she was en route to offer prayers at the Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala.
A video circulating widely on social media shows *ground personnel and security officers rushing to assist, as the aircraft’s wheels got stuck in a section of the helipad that had reportedly given way. People were later seen *manually pushing the helicopter to free it from the sunken portion.
Officials said no one was injured in the incident, and the President’s convoy was safely redirected. The helipad was initially planned to be located at *Nilackal near Pamba, but the *landing site was shifted due to poor weather conditions in the area.
As part of her visit, President Murmu is expected to perform traditional rituals before proceeding to Sabarimala. Unlike the customary dip in the *Pampa River, she will symbolically wash her feet as part of the purification ceremony. She will then carry out the *‘irumudi kettu’ ritual at the Ganapathy Temple before proceeding to the Sannidhanam, the main shrine.
On the concluding day of her tour, the President will unveil a bust of former President K. R. Narayanan at the Raj Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram, paying tribute to Kerala’s first and only President.
Authorities have launched a preliminary inquiry into the helipad incident, and additional safety measures are being reviewed for the remainder of the President’s visit.
[Newsroom staff written original, where key claims or facts are used, I’ve referenced the original sources (like The Star, The Times of India, Hindustan Times, Odisha TV, etc.) transparently.]
