Madhya Pradesh CM’s Hot Air Balloon Ride Sparks Fire Controversy, Officials Deny Mishap
Amid a fire scare, Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav narrowly escaped a hot air balloon mishap at a Gandhisagar Festival, although officials denied any incident.
Published : September 13, 2025 at 4:41 PM IST
Mandsaur: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav had a narrow escape on Saturday after a hot air balloon carrying him allegedly caught fire at Gandhisagar Forest Retreat here. However, his security details swung into action immediately and averted a major accident.
The incident took place today at around 7 am when Yadav boarded the balloon around 7 am with Mandsaur MP Sudhir Gupta. The flight was part of the Gandhisagar Festival, which he inaugurated on Friday evening.
According to the eyewitnesses, as soon as the CM and other dignitaries boarded the balloon, a strong wind started, which prevented the hot air balloon from flying.
“Amid the struggle, a curtain of the balloon caught fire. However, the employees present there extinguished it. The security guards controlled the trolley in which CM Yadav was,” they said.
गांधी सागर, मंदसौर में पर्यटन को बढ़ावा देने के लिए कई नवाचार किए जा रहे हैं। देश-विदेश के कई स्थानों से भी यह अधिक सुंदर है।
— Dr Mohan Yadav (@DrMohanYadav51) September 13, 2025
मैं आपको आमंत्रित करता हूँ कि आप भी पधारिए और प्राकृतिक सौंदर्य से परिपूर्ण इस स्थान पर पर्यटन का आनंद लीजिए। pic.twitter.com/ZnJcCe4OUr
Officials said that after the mishap, the CM cancelled the hot air balloon flight and left for Indore by helicopter shortly afterwards.
“The safest time for balloon flights is between 6 and 7:30 am, when wind conditions are calm. However, by the time the CM boarded, conditions had turned critical, which led to cancellation of the flight,” they said.
Mandsaur Collector Aditi Garg, however, denied the incident of fire. “There was no lapse in the security of the CM. The news of the fire in the balloon is also wrong.”
Saurav Gupta, manager of the contractor company Lalu Ji & Son, also denied the fire in the balloon, saying the CM did not express the desire to fly. “He had come only for the purpose of taking photographs,” he said.
Later, Yadav assured everyone of his safety and praised Gandhisagar as a tourism hotspot. “Gandhi Sagar is like an ocean; it has rich wildlife and natural heritage. I stayed here overnight and enjoyed water activities. This is a paradise for tourists. Why go abroad when we have everything here?”
The chief minister also enjoyed a cruise on the Chambal backwaters and boating activities during his stay.
Read More
