25 tribals rescued in Doda

Twenty five tribals belonging to the Bakarwal community were rescued by the Army after they were trapped in a snowstorm with their livestock in the upper reaches of Doda district, officials said on Tuesday.

Dozens of tribal families were on their traditional seasonal migration trail from the high-altitude meadows of Padder, Marwah, Dachan and Warwan areas of Kishtwar, via Bhaderwah, towards Kathua, Jammu and Samba districts, when they were caught in unseasonal snowfall.

Although several families managed to reach safer places, some were stuck in a blizzard in Padri Gali, Satlad, Biddi Gali and Ganja-Goth areas and were subsequently rescued by personnel of the four Rashtriya Rifles, based at Bhaderwah, the officials said.

When the troops, based at the Khanni Top post at an altitude of 10,000 feet, learned about the plight of tribals trapped in the snowstorm, they rushed to their aid and safely shifted them to their camp, where they were given first aid, free ration and other essential items, they said.

The officials said the rescued Bakarwals include 11 men, 10 women and four children, besides 420 livestock including 250 sheep, 150 goats and 20 horses.

The rescued tribals expressed their gratitude to the Army for timely assistance, saying they had given up all hope of survival, but the personnel arrived despite the snowstorm and evacuated them to safety.