``It is good that I was not there. I do not know what would have happened if I was in the helicopter,'' said octogenerian Basu, who travelled by road to attend the meeting at Tarakeswar in Hooghly district.

Transport Secretary D M Kanwar told newsmen that one side of the state-government owned helicopter broke down during testing after it was taken out of the hanger. The two engineers of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, the company which maintained the helicopter, were injured in the incident, he said adding that the copter did not take off. An administrative inquiry into the incident was being ordered, Transport Minister Subhas Chakraborty said.Kanwar said that Directorate General of Civil Aviation would also conduct a seperate enquiry.

Asked if thegovernment suspected sabotage, the transport minister replied that the enquiry would reveal it. Official sources said that senior district and police officers rushed to the spot.