Hakeem’s helicopter dilemma

Mar 30 (IL) In a bizarre incident last evening, the Air force helicopter Sri Lanka Muslim Congress Leader Rauff Hakeem travelled in abruptly landed thrice repeatedly after brief take offs at the Zahira College ground in Kalmunai, resulting in a tensed situation, with some even fearing the worst.

Mr. Hakeem along with Special Task Force officers and his personnel security guards were on his way to attend a funeral. When the chopper tried to take off the first time, it had circled for around 50 meters and landed back. Two more attempts to take off, too failed.

Hakeem, after the third attempt gave up the idea of travelling by air and instead decided to travel by road. What exactly happened to the chopper had not been found at the time of going to press.

Founder Leader of the SLMC M.H.M. Ashraff was killed in a Helicopter crash in September 2000, when he was travelling from Colombo to the Eastern Province.