Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's visit to Mookambika temple deferred owing to bad weather

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's vist to Sri Mookambika temple in Udupi district was cancelled due to bad weather on Sunday, Indian media reported.

According to the Bangalore Mirror, the Sri Lankan Prime Minister was scheduled to arrive around 11 am from Bengaluru, following which he was expected to go to Mookambika Temple guest house.

Udupi Deputy Commissioner Priyanka Mary Francis told reporters at Shiroor helipad near Byndoor that the Mr Wickremesinghe might reach on another day if the weather conditions improved.

Wickremesinghe, who is now in Bengaluru, could not fly to Byndoor as his chopper could not take off from the capital city even after 12 noon due to bad weather conditions both in Bengaluru and the coastal Karnataka region, she said.

Helipad in-charge Sneha Kulkarni along with Air Force squad had camped at Shiroor and made all arrangements to receive Mr. Wickremesinghe.

Udupi District Superintendent of Police (SP) Dr Sanjeev M Patil told BM, “We are awaiting further orders regarding his tour. The cloud cover never moved away. The Air Force officials present did not give a green signal for landing. At 12 noon, they called off operations for the day.” The PM was expected to participate in the “mangalarti’ as well as ‘Chandika Homa’.