The Hindu : National : 51 ITBP personnel rescued

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 23, 2005

National

National

51 ITBP personnel rescued

By Our Staff Reporter

JAMMU, FEB.22. Fifty-one Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel were rescued from the Jawahar Tunnel on the Jammu-Srinagar highway today. More are feared trapped. The ITBP and police personnel rescued the securitymen out of the tunnel through ropes and took them to the base in Banihal tehsil of Doda district.

The Army will continue to airdrop food and supplies for them.

The north side of the tunnel is closed.Today, more than 13 helicopter sorties dropped 410 composite food packets and 160 litres of diesel for the stranded people. While food packets were airdropped, soldiers could not move too far from the tunnel fearing fresh avalanches, the Northern Command spokesman, Colonel R.K.Sen, told The Hindu here today.

Rescue operations have been launched in Loran, Mandi, Kishtwar and Navapacchi.

More than 80 people buried under the snow and 30 civilians trapped in an avalanche in Navapacchi were rescued.

In Barachari (Mandi) two persons were rescued. More people are still trapped.

``The Indian Air Force, which has put its stations in northern India on a high alert and launched the biggest ever day-night rescue and relief operation in snow-hit Jammu and Kashmir since yesterday morning, has successfully conducted its night-long operations carrying over men and material to Kashmir,'' the Udhampur-based Station Commander, Group Captain Manavandera Singh, told reporters.

Talking to The Hindu , here, the Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, put the death toll at over 100.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National