Bad weather hits President Patil's Bhaderwah visit

Jammu, May 25 (UNI) The chopper, ferrying President Pratibha Devisingh Patil, was forced to return to Srinagar due to inclement weather, keeping thousands of people waiting in the fortress-turned town of Bhaderwah in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir today.

The chopper could not cross into the other side of Pir Panjal range of Himalayas due to bad weather, a senior official accompanying the President told UNI.

''We were told that it (chopper) can not go further and we are returning back,'' the official said, informing that Ms Patil was back in Srinagar.

About the President's schedule, the official said, ''Today she could not attend the function at Bhaderwah, but the rest of the programme will remain as it was scheduled.'' It has yet not been decided if Ms Patil will visit Bhaderwah town, where she was scheduled to formally inaugurate the Jammu University Campus.

However, the security forces and other arrangements at the venue have been kept intact, as plans for rescheduling the President's visit for Tuesday were being chalked out, an official source said.

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