A helicopter ambulance crashed on Saturday in the Kedarnath Shrine area, close to the temple helipad. The aircraft was dispatched to airlift a devotee from Kedarnath to AIIMS Rishikesh.

The unfortunate incident occurred just 20 meters from Kedarnath while the helicopter was landing. Thankfully, the pilot emerged uninjured; an AIIMS spokesperson confirmed that the helicopter was there to retrieve a seriously ill patient. According to the AIIMS PRO, the crash took place during the landing process.

Although the helicopter’s tail rotor sustained damage, there were no injuries, and the pilot, along with one additional passenger on board, was safely rescued.

It’s noteworthy that the ‘Sanjeevani’ heli ambulance service for AIIMS Rishikesh was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 29, 2024. This marked the launch of the country’s first heli ambulance service for AIIMS, which was introduced online from Delhi alongside several health projects valued over ₹12,800 crore.

In September 2022, former Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia had revealed plans for the heli ambulance at AIIMS Rishikesh. The service operates under a partnership between the Centre and the Uttarakhand government, each contributing 50 percent.

This helicopter crash isn’t the only incident during the ongoing Chardham pilgrimage in 2025; on May 8, another helicopter en route to Gangotri crashed near Gangani, resulting in the tragic loss of six lives, including five women.

In a significant operation against drug trafficking as part of the ongoing anti-drug initiative ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh,’ directed by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the Commissionerate Police Amritsar has dismantled two smuggling networks. Three individuals have been arrested, and authorities have seized 1.01 kg of heroin, ₹45.19 lakh in drug proceeds, and a cash counting machine, as reported by Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab, Gaurav Yadav, on Saturday.

The arrested individuals are Rahul Singh alias Kalu (20) from Thathi Sohal, Tarn Taran; Gurmukh Singh (21) from Sudhar Rajputan village, Amritsar; and Varinderpal Singh (32) from Akalgarh Dhaphian village, Amritsar.

DGP Yadav noted that two FIRs under the NDPS Act have been filed at Police Stations Gate Hakima and PS Verka. Investigations are ongoing to identify all connections within the smuggling ring.

Commissioner of Police (CP) Amritsar, Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, provided details of the first operation, stating that CIA-2 police teams arrested Rahul alias Kalu, recovering 510 grams of heroin and ₹30.18 lakh in cash, along with a counting machine from his residence in Anand Vihar, Amritsar. Initial investigations suggest that Rahul was in contact with a foreign-based drug smuggler named Tony German and was distributing heroin locally after receiving shipments across the border. A case (FIR No. 117, dated 16-05-2025) has been registered at Police Station Gate Hakima under sections 21-C and 25 of the NDPS Act.

In a separate operation, CP Bhullar reported the arrest of Gurmukh Singh and Varinderpal Singh by the Police Station Verka team. They were found with 500 grams of heroin, ₹15.19 lakh in drug proceeds, and a camera-equipped toy drone. The duo had created a concealed locker in a bed-box at a house in Akalgarh, where drug money was stored. The drone was reportedly being used for practice purposes.

Ongoing investigations may lead to further arrests and recoveries in the coming days. A case (FIR No. 40, dated 14-5-2025) has been filed under Sections 25 and 29 of the NDPS Act at Police Station Verka in Amritsar.

On Saturday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) categorically rejected Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s claim that External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar informed Pakistan prior to the initiation of Operation Sindoor, labeling it an “utter misrepresentation of facts.”

The MEA’s XP Division stated, “The EAM indicated that we warned Pakistan at the beginning, which pertains to the early phase following the commencement of Operation Sindoor. This has been misrepresented as happening before the operation began, and we are calling out this erroneous portrayal.”

The MEA’s clarification came on the heels of Mr. Gandhi’s assertion that Jaishankar had committed a “crime” by allegedly notifying Pakistan in advance of the airstrikes.

Mr. Gandhi shared a video on his WhatsApp channel where Jaishankar is quoted saying, “At the start of the operation, we sent a message to Pakistan, informing them that we were targeting terrorist infrastructure and not military assets. Hence, the military had the option to stand down and avoid interference.”

In response, Gandhi commented on X: “Informing Pakistan at the beginning of our attack was a crime. EAM has publicly admitted this. 1. Who authorized it? 2. How many aircraft did our Air Force lose as a result?”

However, the government has dismissed these allegations as misleading. The Fact Check Unit of the Press Information Bureau (PIB) clarified that no admission was made by the EAM. Additionally, PIB denied claims that Jaishankar suggested Chinese satellites assisted Pakistan during its military standoff with India.

This political exchange follows Operation Sindoor, India’s retaliatory measure in response to the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives.