Amit Shah’s plane circles mid-air for 45 minutes amid Kolkata storm before safe landing

Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s flight faced severe turbulence and circling mid-air for nearly 45 minutes before safely landing at Dum Dum Airport in Kolkata early Saturday morning. The aircraft, originally scheduled to arrive at 11:45 PM on Friday, encountered intense rainfall, lightning, and high-speed winds that forced repeated holding patterns over multiple airspaces, highlighting challenges for air traffic control during extreme weather.

The flight initially circled over Thakurnagar before moving towards Bhimpur and then Dhubulia. Due to worsening conditions, it also made additional circuits over Bethuadahari before finally being cleared to land at 1:20 AM. Officials confirmed that the delay was entirely due to adverse weather conditions, and all passengers, including Shah, remained safe throughout the ordeal.

At the airport, Shah was received by Union Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar, state BJP President Shamik Bhattacharya, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Suvendu Adhikari, and other senior party leaders. Shah’s visit is part of a wider campaign strategy to energize BJP workers and supporters ahead of upcoming elections in West Bengal.

Shah is scheduled to release a statewide ‘charge sheet’ against the ruling Trinamool Congress at 12 noon on Saturday. The document reportedly includes allegations of corruption, administrative inefficiency, poor education and healthcare, unemployment, employee allowances, and issues related to the Seventh Pay Commission. The BJP has also prepared constituency-wise charge sheets for all 294 seats, which have been distributed door-to-door across the state.