Pilot error: CM Siddaramaiah's chopper lands at wrong helipad

Lingsugur (Raichur dist): The helicopter carrying Chief Minister Siddaramaiah landed at the wrong helipad on Sunday due to an error of judgement on the part of the pilot, leaving officials supposed to welcome the CM in a spot of bother. 

The CM was visiting the town to take part in the wedding of the grandson of former minister Amaregouda Patil Bayyapur and son of MLC Sharanagouda Patil Bayyapur. 

An helipad had been prepared for the choppers of the CM and deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar to land at Srinivas Layout on Raichur Road here. 

As per protocol, the deputy commissioner and the district superintendent of police were at the designated place to receive the CM. 

Siddaramaiah’s chopper ended up landing at the helipad belonging to MLA Manappa Vajjal on Kalaburagi Road, where the helicopter of Minister Satish Jarkiholi was supposed to land.

Here, a vehicle was waiting to ferry the minister along with an escort vehicle.  

The chief minister was enraged that none of the officials or people’s representatives were present to receive him. He then left for the venue of the wedding in a separate vehicle. 

Getting news of the faux pas on the part of the pilot, the DC and the SP rushed to the helipad where Siddaramaiah had landed, only to find that the CM had left. 

Police personnel offered CM the customary salute when the CM returned to the helipad, after taking part in the wedding ceremony. 

With Siddaramaiah landing at the helipad on Kalaburagi Road, the chopper carrying Jarkiholi went around in the sky thrice following an alert regarding the faux pas, before it could land at the facility where the CM’s helicopter was to land.