Nitin Gadkari, family escape death in helicopter crash

Dehradun, Jun 20: A helicopter which carried BJP President Nitin Gadkari, crashed after dropping Gadkari and his family at the Jolly Grant airport, Dehradun on Jun 19.

The engineer and the pilot of the chopper suffered injuries and were hospitalised.

After dropping Gadkari and his family and on its way to Sahasradhara helipad, the chopper crashed in Ladpur jungles, a highly sensitive area where Defence Research Development Organisation's Instruments Research and Development Establishment (IRDE) is situated.

Three chopper were hired by Gadkari's family to take them around shrines in Char Dham. The pilot and the engineer were saved after a couple of youths spotted them and rushed them to hospital.

An investigation has been ordered by the Uttarakhand government into the incident.

“We are conducting the enquiry to ascertain the exact cause of the accident. It appears that some technical snag must have caused the crash. But the main enquiry will be conducted by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation," said P C Sharma, State Civil Aviation Secretary.

“Vigyan Vihar residential area is only 10 feet away from the jungles. We believe that the pilot must have avoided this colony," said GS Martolia, Dehra Dun SSP after the chopper's debris fell near a residential area.

Owned by Swajas Aviation Company in Chennai, the chopper was hired by Gadkari's family along with two other choppers. The company was working in collaboration with SAR Aviation to ferry people in Uttarakhand to take them around shrines in Chardham.

OneIndia News