The helicopter that was carrying Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Kokrajhar had encountered few technical problems today on Saturday and had to return to Guwahati after its flight.

Only 15 minutes into the flight to the devastated town of Kohrajhar from Lokopriyo Bordoloi International Airport here the helicopter returned, official sources said.

Initially the reports said that the cancellation of the return of Prime Minister and two others with his entourage was due to bad weeather but the airport officials later reported it as technical faults. The details of the issue would be found only at the PMO's office though.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh however had left for another helicopter from Kokrajhar at around 12:30 from the same airport and was accompanied by the governor of Assam, J B Patnaik, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, and AICC general Secretary Digvijay Singh, Assam Pradesh congress committee president Bhubaneswar Kalita and senior state government officials.

At Kokhrajhar the PM adressing the victims of the ethnic war, he said, "I have come here to share your sorrow and pain".

(AW- Anil)