Overview
- Officials said the helicopter linked to Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini was removed and the Tau Devi Lal Sports Complex running track has reopened.
- Reports disagree on how long the track was unusable with accounts saying the aircraft occupied the venue for three days and others saying four days.
- A viral post by Divya Singh and circulating images showed a red-and-white helicopter on the racing track and alleged policemen keeping athletes away, which drove the public outcry.
- Deputy Director of Sports Ram Mehar Singh defended the closure as a security measure and no formal policy change on using sports grounds as temporary helipads has been announced.
- The episode revived past complaints about repeated VIP use of the stadium and disrupted training for many state-level athletes, leaving advocates to call for clearer rules to protect scarce local sports facilities.