PURI: The district magistrate has directed the Civil Aviation Department against flying helicopters over Jagannath temple here and nearby wildlife sanctuary. He has also asked the SP to stop choppers from using the city airspace. The beach protection council had lodged a complaint regarding a chopper doing rounds of the city and Jagannath temple. The helicopter service being operated by a travel company conducts aerial tours for tourists. The council had raised concern over reports of possible terrorist attack on the temple. It feared that terrorists in the guise of tourists may hurl bombs causing extensive damage to the temple, while lives of hundreds of pilgrims are at stake. Besides, the wildlife sanctuary of black buck is in close proximity to the city and frequent noise of the helicopter is likely to disturb the wildlife there, the council pointed out in the written complaint. It is learnt that the travel company had earlier announced launching of the chopper service at Puri from January this year. Following protests, it cancelled landing at Puri and changed its operating centre from Puri to Bhubaneswar air base.