Chief Election Commissioner Expresses Gratitude to Heroes Who Rescued Him in Himalayan Village | Dehradun News – Times of India

DEHRADUN: Days after he was rescued from the remote Ralam village in Pithoragarh district following an emergency helicopter landing due to inclement weather and left stranded at over 12,000 feet, chief election commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar expressed his gratitude to the villagers and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) team that came to his aid.
Ralam, a high Himalayan village, 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 the CEC, who was stuck without food or proper shelter along with two other poll officials and the pilot of the chopper, stranded officials, providing warm noodles and other essential supplies. They arrived at the village around 1:00am after battling extreme conditions.
In a letter addressed to Uttarakhand‘s chief electoral officer BVRC Purushottam, Kumar praised the heroic efforts of the three villagers who trekked uphill in such rough weather to deliver life-saving supplies to him and his team. Kumar compared the timely help to a well-known saying, writing, “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 expressed confidence that the administration would adopt this example of local participation in disaster management as a guiding policy, adding that it would inspire and honour those involved. He wrote, “All the young angels became synonymous with the highest ideals of humanity and made this day an unforgettable memory, saving the lives of all of us.”
The CEC also extended his appreciation 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.”
Last Wednesday, a day after announcing polls in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, 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, severe weather forced their helicopter to make an emergency landing in the remote village of Ralam in Munsiyari Tehsil. 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.