Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Mar 8: A helicopter carrying former Prime Minister, Deve Gowda and his family, briefly arrived at the airport here on Thursday March 7 afternoon for refueling. The family was returning to Bengaluru after visiting Sringeri temple.

The family of Deve Gowda had visited Sringeri temple on Wednesday and offered puja besides meeting the Swamiji there. On Thursday, it performed Chandika Yaga at Sringeri and was on its way back to Bengaluru when the fuel in the helicopter was found to be insufficient. Therefore, the helicopter touched down at the airport here at around 1.20 pm and remained here for around 45 minutes.

Deve Gowda, Kumaraswamy, and his son, Nikhil, visited the rest room at the airport and spent sometime together. Deve Gowda's wife, Chennamma, and Anitha Kumaraswamy stayed inside the helicopter. After refueling, the helicopter left for Bengaluru at about 2 pm, sources said.

Earlier, it was said that an empty helicopter would come here for refueling but it was not known in advance that Deve Gowda and family were travelling in it. District level JD(S) leaders too were in the dark about the family's visit.