Bhaderwah/Jammu, Oct 7: The Indian Army rescued 25 tribals from the Bakarwal community who were trapped along with their livestock in a severe snowstorm in the upper reaches of Doda district in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Tuesday.
According to officials, dozens of Bakarwal families were on their traditional seasonal migration from the high-altitude meadows of Padder, Marwah, Dachan and Warwan in Kishtwar towards the lower plains of Kathua, Jammu and Samba when they were caught in unseasonal snowfall over the weekend.
While several families managed to reach safer areas, a group of 25 people was trapped in blizzard conditions at Padri Gali, Satlad, Biddi Gali and Ganja-Goth, before being rescued by personnel of the 4 Rashtriya Rifles based in Bhaderwah, the officials said.
When troops stationed at the Khanni Top post, situated at an altitude of 10,000 feet, received information about the stranded nomads, they immediately launched a rescue operation. Braving heavy snowfall and icy winds, the soldiers managed to reach the group and shift them safely to their camp, where they were provided with first aid, free rations, and other essential supplies, officials added.
The rescued Bakarwals comprised 11 men, 10 women, and four children, along with 420 livestock, including 250 sheep, 150 goats, and 20 horses.
Expressing deep gratitude to the Army, the rescued tribals said they had “lost all hope of survival” before the troops arrived. “The Army came as a blessing; they risked their lives in the snowstorm to save us and our animals,” one of the survivors said.
Officials lauded the swift and humanitarian response of the Army, which once again underscored its commitment to protecting and assisting people in remote and high-altitude areas of Jammu and Kashmir during natural calamities and harsh weather conditions.
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