Bhaderwah/Jammu: The Army rescued 25 members of the Bakarwal community who were trapped with their livestock in a snowstorm in the upper reaches of Doda district, Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Tuesday.
The tribals were part of several families undertaking their traditional seasonal migration from the high-altitude meadows of Padder, Marwah, Dachan and Warwan in Kishtwar, via Bhaderwah, towards Kathua, Jammu and Samba districts when they were caught in an unexpected snowfall.
While many families managed to reach safer areas, some were stranded in a blizzard in the Padri Gali, Satlad, Biddi Gali and Ganja-Goth regions. Troops from the 4 Rashtriya Rifles based in Bhaderwah launched a rescue operation after learning of their plight.
Soldiers stationed at the Khanni Top post—situated at an altitude of 10,000 feet—rushed to the scene, evacuated the trapped families, and brought them to their camp, where they were provided with first aid, food supplies, and other essentials.
Among the rescued were 11 men, 10 women, and four children, along with 420 livestock, including 250 sheep, 150 goats, and 20 horses.
The rescued families thanked the Army for the timely intervention, saying they had lost hope of survival until the soldiers arrived through heavy snow and brought them to safety.
