PM Modi leaves for Delhi from Deoghar in another aircraft after IAF plane suffers technical snag

The Deoghar DC said that the technical snag in PM Modi's aircraft could not be rectified and hence, he had to fly to Delhi in another plane after delay of over 2 hours.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday left for the national capital from Jharkhand's Deoghar in another aircraft after his IAF plane developed snag, officials told news agency PTI. The Deoghar DC said that the technical snag in PM Modi's aircraft could not be rectified and hence, he had to fly to Delhi in another plane after delay of over 2 hours.

The development comes after PM Modi was stranded at the Deoghar airport in Jharkhand for over an hour on Friday after his special aircraft developed a snag, officials said. PM Modi was supposed to fly back to New Delhi on the Indian Air Force plane after addressing a rally in Bihar's Jamui, which is around 80 km from Deoghar, they said.

He was visiting Jamui to attend a function organised on the 150th birth anniversary of Birsa Munda, which is celebrated as 'Janjatiya Gaurav Divas'.

"The PM has been at the Deoghar airport for more than an hour now. What would be the alternative arrangement for his return to Delhi is being discussed," an official said.

As a result of this, a 'no flying zone' was declared in the region's air space, officials said.

In another development, leader of the opposition Rahul Gandhi was stuck in Godda, where he addressed an election rally, as his helicopter could not take off following this, they said. However, the Congress alleged that Gandhi was targetted unfairly by the administration.

"Our leader Rahul Gandhi's helicopter was not allowed to take off for about two hours, posing a grave threat to his life. This was a security lapse at the behest of the Centre," state minister Deepika Pandey Singh alleged.