In a rare incident at Pathanamthitta’s Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium, President Droupadi Murmu’s helicopter partially sank into a freshly laid concrete helipad on Wednesday morning. The aircraft’s wheels got stuck in small depressions moments after landing, prompting police and fire department personnel to push it free. Officials later confirmed that the helipad had been hurriedly constructed the previous night after a last-minute change in the President’s landing location.

According to a senior district police officer, the original landing site was planned at Nilackal near Pamba, but poor weather conditions forced authorities to shift the landing to Pramadam. Since the concrete base hadn’t completely set, it was unable to bear the full weight of the helicopter. “The concrete was still curing when the aircraft landed, causing the wheels to press into the surface,” the officer explained.

President Murmu, who arrived in Kerala on Tuesday for a four-day visit, is touring various parts of the state, including the Sabarimala pilgrimage route. After the brief delay, she continued her journey to Pamba by road. The visuals of personnel manually freeing the helicopter went viral on television and social media, drawing attention to the lack of preparation and last-minute decision-making surrounding high-level visits.