West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee suffered injuries on Tuesday as her helicopter made an emergency landing at the Sevoke air base near Siliguri due to bad weather conditions. The incident occurred while she was disembarking from the chopper at the Sevoke airstrip. Banerjee was immediately taken to SSKM Hospital in Kolkata for treatment.
It is reported that Banerjee sustained injuries to her waist and legs as the helicopter experienced turbulence after flying over the Baikunthapur jungle and encountering heavy rain. She was on her way from Jalpaiguri to Bagdogra Airport to catch a flight to Kolkata when the emergency landing became necessary.
Upon her return to Kolkata, doctors at the state-run SSKM Hospital attended to her injuries. According to Dr. Manimoy Bandyopadhyay, the Director of SSKM Hospital, Banerjee suffered ligament injuries in her left knee joint and left hip joint. She underwent medical examinations, including an MRI, and treatment for her injuries has commenced. While she was advised to be admitted to the hospital, Banerjee expressed her preference for continuing the treatment at home.
In response to the incident, BJP leader Sukanta questioned the Trinamool Congress (TMC) party, asking why Mamata Banerjee seems to get injured before every election.
The chief minister’s helicopter had taken off from Jalpaiguri district, where she had addressed a political rally ahead of the upcoming panchayat elections in the state. Banerjee was en route to Bagdogra to catch a flight back to Kolkata.
An official explained that the emergency landing was prompted by heavy rain in the area. Following the incident, it was decided that Banerjee would travel by road to the Bagdogra airport and then fly back to Kolkata.
The chief minister had been campaigning in northern West Bengal for the upcoming panchayat elections scheduled for July 8. These elections will see the election of nearly 75,000 candidates in zilla parishads, panchayat samiti, and gram panchayats by around 5.67 crore people.
The incident has sparked concerns over Banerjee’s health and well-being, as well as the impact it may have on the ongoing political landscape in West Bengal.
Sources By Agencies
