A probe was ordered after an Indian Coast Guard chopper was seen flying low over the Sabarimala temple, which is considered a special security zone, in Kerala’s Pathanamthitta district on Thursday.
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Visuals taken by one of the Sabarimala temple staff showed the CG 821 Chetak helicopter flying just metres above the flagmast of the temple, located in the middle of the dense forests of the Periyar Tiger Reserve, around 1.15 pm on Thursday.
Indian Coast Guard officials said the CG 821 helicopter, which was on a routine training sortie from Kochi, ended up flying over the temple and the hills at Pampa due to “high clouds and deteriorated weather” in the area.
“At around 1.15 pm, due to high clouds and deteriorated weather in the area, the aircraft deviated from the intended track and ended up flying over the hills of Pampa. Post clear weather, the aircraft returned to base at Kochi,” an official said.
The Special Commissioner (Sabarimala) has ordered Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) S Sreejith, who oversees law and order at Sabarimala temple, to investigate the incident and submit a report, officials familiar with the matter said.
The Pampa police has registered an FIR over the incident, invoking Section 118(E) (grave violation of public order) of the Kerala Police Act, and has begun a probe.
“With Sabarimala being located in a special security zone, aerial vehicle movement is not allowed without prior permission. Such movement is also not usually seen. We are investigating what happened,” a senior officer of the station told HT.
