ARIYALUR: Tension prevailed after a Cheetah helicopter belonging to the Indian Air Force landed on the Kollidam riverbed near Melaramanallur village at Thirumanur here, causing panic among residents on Monday.
Amidst heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, the unexpected landing on the riverbed alarmed the villagers. The helicopter took off after a brief interval.
Speaking to TNIE, A Soundaramuthu, a resident from Thirumanur said, “We were terrified when we saw the helicopter landing all of a sudden. With news about attacks in Kashmir, we thought something serious had happened.” Villagers reportedly gathered near the spot, capturing videos and photos of the helicopter, which quickly went viral on social media. On information, the Ariyalur police visited the area shortly after the incident to calm the people and explain the situation.
“The helicopter belonged to the Air Force station in Thanjavur. Such helicopter landings on the Kollidam riverbed are part of routine training exercises. A similar landing took place here a few years ago,” a police officer told TNIE.