This is the moment a senior Indian government minister gets that sinking feeling when his USD 6.3 million official helicopter needs a push start.

Uttarakhand State Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami was grounded. When his Augusta A109e chopper sunk into the soft ground on a makeshift helipad.

Video footage shows police officers struggling to push the copter onto firmer ground so it could take off after an official visit to a political youth conference in Rudrapur.

The bizarre footage emerged on 21st December and quickly went viral on social media platforms, according to local media reports.

Local media reported that the pilot asked police for help when he realised he would not be able to take off because the helicopter’s front wheel had sunk into the soft mud.

Red-faced police later denied that the 180mph helicopter was stuck.

They claimed it was being shoved backwards so it was exactly over the marked take-off and landing spot.