M A I N   N E W S

Capt lands in enemy camp
Perneet Singh
Tribune News Service

Gidderbaha (Muktsar), February 11
Enthusiastic SAD activists got the shock of their life here today when they ran towards a chopper that landed at their party's rally venue and saw the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, and firebrand Congress leader Jagmeet Brar alighting from it.

The SAD had organised a rally in support of the party heavyweight Manpreet Singh Badal at the local grain market, while the Chief Minister was supposed to address a rally in favour of Mr Jagmeet's brother Ripjeet Brar, who is contesting from the Kotkapura Assembly seat.

However, the pilot landed the chopper at the rival camp's rally venue by mistake. The Chief Minister asked SAD supporters, who mistook him for their leader, as to where he had landed. He asked: "Is it Kotkapura?"

Though he soon realised the goof up, some spirited SAD workers shook hands with their “surprise guest” and the Chief Minister too exchanged greetings before taking off for Kotkapura.

People attending the rally may have taken the incident in a lighter vein, but it could not be denied that there was a security risk involved. Firstly, there was no proper helipad for landing the chopper and it landed without any knowledge of security agencies. Also a huge crowd had gathered at the venue for the SAD's rally in the Badal clan's pocket borough on the concluding day.

The Returning Officer, Mr Charandev Singh Mann, said it was clearly a case of mistaken landing and he had reported the matter to the District Electoral Officer.

He said the SAD had also sought permission for landing a chopper in the town for VIPs like Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia, but was denied permission due to lack of a suitable location.