Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Jumar has expressed his gratitude to the villagers and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) team that came to his aid after he was rescued from the remote Ralam village in Uttarkhand’s Pithoragarh district following an emergency helicopter landing due to inclement weather and left stranded at over 12,000 feet.
Ralam is a high Himalayan village and is typically deserted during winter. Despite this, three villagers — Ishwar Singh Nabiyal, Surendra Kumar, and Bhupendra Singh Dhakriyal — trekked over 38km through rugged terrain to reach Kumar, who was stuck without food or proper shelter. He was with two other poll officials and the pilot of the chopper.
The villagers provided warm noodles and other essential supplies to the officials. They arrived at the village around 1:00 am after battling extreme conditions.
Kumar praised the efforts of the three villagers who trekked uphill in such rough weather to deliver life-saving supplies to him and his team in the letter addressed to Uttarakhand's chief electoral officer BVRC Purushottam. "There's a saying, ‘a drowning man will clutch at a straw'. This was true for us when the three-member group arrived like angels in Ralam. They even had a loyal dog with them, acting as a fourth layer of protection,” Kumar wrote.
The CEC also extended his gratitude to the ITBP director general, acknowledging the crucial role of the Dharchula rescue team. Kumar said, "I thank you all from the bottom of my heart and wish you a healthy and long life."
On October 16, Kumar, along with Uttarakhand's additional chief electoral officer Vijay Kumar Jogdande, was en route to inspect high-altitude polling stations in Milam, Martoli, Ganghar, and Panchu, to take first-hand stock of difficulties polling teams face in remote mountainous areas. However, their helicopter was stranded. He was first spotted by a trekker, who cooked for him and lit a bonfire in an abandoned house. Kumar was rescued from the village after 17 hours.
Ralam is a high Himalayan village and is typically deserted during winter. Despite this, three villagers — Ishwar Singh Nabiyal, Surendra Kumar, and Bhupendra Singh Dhakriyal — trekked over 38km through rugged terrain to reach Kumar, who was stuck without food or proper shelter. He was with two other poll officials and the pilot of the chopper.
The villagers provided warm noodles and other essential supplies to the officials. They arrived at the village around 1:00 am after battling extreme conditions.
Kumar praised the efforts of the three villagers who trekked uphill in such rough weather to deliver life-saving supplies to him and his team in the letter addressed to Uttarakhand's chief electoral officer BVRC Purushottam. "There's a saying, ‘a drowning man will clutch at a straw'. This was true for us when the three-member group arrived like angels in Ralam. They even had a loyal dog with them, acting as a fourth layer of protection,” Kumar wrote.
The CEC also extended his gratitude to the ITBP director general, acknowledging the crucial role of the Dharchula rescue team. Kumar said, "I thank you all from the bottom of my heart and wish you a healthy and long life."
On October 16, Kumar, along with Uttarakhand's additional chief electoral officer Vijay Kumar Jogdande, was en route to inspect high-altitude polling stations in Milam, Martoli, Ganghar, and Panchu, to take first-hand stock of difficulties polling teams face in remote mountainous areas. However, their helicopter was stranded. He was first spotted by a trekker, who cooked for him and lit a bonfire in an abandoned house. Kumar was rescued from the village after 17 hours.
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