Ashok Gehlot's chopper makes emergency landing in Churu

A helicopter, carrying Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Friday made an emergency landing in Churu district after it developed some technical problem but all five persons, including two pilots, on board were safe.

The chopper developed technical problem in its blade forcing the pilot to make an emergency landing in Chandkoti village, 250-km from here, pilot U K Sharma said.

Gehlot, his OSD Gaurav Bajaj, security officer Ramnivas and Sharma along with another pilot Rakesh Sharma were all safe, SP (Churu) S N Khinchi said.

The twin-engined Italian-made Agusta 190-E helicopter was flying to Nangalbadi village, 60-km from Chandkoti, where Gehlot was slated to attend two functions when the trouble arose.

The Chief Minister later proceeded for the programmes by road, the SP said.

Pilot Sharma told PTI he had to make an emergency landing due to vertical vibrations in the air caused by the blade which was out of track.

To continue flying was quite unsafe, he said.

A technical team would be visiting the scene to examine the the chopper which was purchased during Vasundhara Raje's regime, officials said.