ANANTAPUR: The inquiry into the helicopter incident during former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s tour of Kuntimaddi on April 8 is underway, with pilot Anil Kumar attending the hearing at CK Palli police station in Sri Sathya Sai district on Tuesday.
The incident occurred when a large crowd of party activists rushed towards the helipad moments before Jagan’s scheduled landing, causing cracks in the helicopter’s windshield. As a precaution, Jagan was left at Kuntimaddi, and the helicopter returned without informing the local police.
Despite multiple summons, the pilot failed to attend earlier hearings. Ramagiri CI V Sridhar confirmed that Anil Kumar finally responded to the fifth notice and appeared for questioning, accompanied by his lawyer, Lakshdeep Mukherjee. Anil had previously cited health and work-related issues for missing the earlier hearings. During Tuesday’s session, the police questioned him on over 100 points related to the incident. According to the CI, Anil provided answers to most queries and assured that details would be submitted to superior officers.
So far, 10 to 15 individuals have been arrested in connection with the incident. Authorities stated that more detentions are likely, and all individuals involved will be dealt with as per the law. The probe is also focusing on whether any conspiracy was behind the crowd’s sudden rush.
When questioned about why Jagan was not flown back in the same helicopter, Anil clarified that although the pilot’s cabin remained unaffected, the rear section sustained damage, posing potential safety risks. As per safety protocol, they decided not to carry Jagan in the compromised aircraft. “We followed standard rules,” he said.