Helipad Incident During President Murmu’s Kerala Visit; Safety Maintained

President Droupadi Murmu faced an unexpected incident when a portion of the helipad tarmac at Pramadam Stadium partially sank moments after her helicopter landed on Wednesday during her official visit to Kerala. The President is in the state for a four-day itinerary that includes religious and cultural engagements.

According to PTI, police and fire department personnel acted swiftly, manually pushing the helicopter away from the sunken area to ensure safety. No injuries were reported, and the aircraft remained secure.

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President Murmu’s Kerala Itinerary

President Murmu’s visit began on October 21 with her arrival at Thiruvananthapuram Airport, where she was received by Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and Union Minister George Kurian.

Key engagements include:

• October 22: Performing darshan and aarti at Sabarimala Temple.

• October 23: Unveiling the bust of former President K.R. Narayanan at Raj Bhavan, inaugurating the Mahasamadhi Centenary observance of Sree Narayana Guru at Sivagiri Mutt, Varkala, and attending the Platinum Jubilee valedictory function of St. Thomas College in Palai.

• October 24: Attending the centenary celebrations of St. Teresa's College in Ernakulam.

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Political Engagements

During the visit, a BJP delegation led by Kerala party president Rajeev Chandrasekhar met President Murmu at Raj Bhavan. The discussions reportedly focused on public concerns, including the recent Sabarimala gold theft incident.

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Reactions

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan posted on X (formerly Twitter):

“Warmly welcomed Hon’ble President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, on her visit to Kerala. Her presence was a great honour for the State and our people.”

The visit emphasizes a blend of religious, cultural, and educational engagements, highlighting the President’s outreach across Kerala’s diverse communities.