Raigad (Maharashtra) July 7 (IANS) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis escaped a potential accident on Friday when his helicopter took off suddenly as he was about to board it in Raigad district a top official said.According to Raigad s acting Collector P.D. Malikner the incident happened around 1.50 pm when Fadnavis came to the JSW Steel Company s helipad in Alibaug and was preparing to board the waiting helicopter."As the CM came near the door the chopper suddenly took off tilted sideways and hovered around 2-3 feet in the air... its rotating wings came very close to his head " Malikner told IANS from the site.However an alert security personnel acted swiftly lunging forward to save the CM from any injury Malikner added.The helicopter remained in that position for a few minutes even as Fadnavis was pulled back a safe 20 feet or so from it before it touched the helipad again.Later after a technician checked the rotors to detect any malfunctions and it was cleared for take-off a short while later.Fadnavis boarded it to return to Mumbai. He had gone to attend the birthday celebrations of Alibaug legislator Jayant Patil and inaugurate a theatre hall.As news of the incident spread like wildfire on social media networks a CMO official said that the CM s helicopter did not meet with any accident and urged people not to believe rumours.--IANSqn/vd
Fadnavis again escapes helicopter accident (Lead)
