The national flag fell from the 405-foot flagpole in Hosapete, Vijayanagara district, during Republic Day celebrations. The incident occurred when the cables, operated remotely, snapped midway. Housing Minister and district in-charge Zameer Ahmad Khan had just hoisted the flag during the 76th Republic Day ceremony at Dr. Puneeth Rajkumar District Stadium.
The failure of the flagpole, one of the tallest in the country, was attributed to a lack of maintenance, as it had not been in regular use for several months. Authorities had not tested the pole before the flag was raised. The malfunction led to the flag falling to the ground around 9:05 a.m., just minutes after it was unfurled. While some attendees were alarmed, many rushed to restore the flag’s dignity by raising it again.
Minister Zameer Ahmad Khan expressed disappointment, calling the incident unfortunate, especially on Republic Day. He instructed local officials to conduct a thorough inquiry and submit a report within two days. The Minister also promised that action would be taken once the investigation was completed.
The video of the malfunction quickly went viral on social media, and the Chitwadgi Police have registered a case against the contractor responsible for the flagpole, Nagaraj.