Uttarakhand: Major disaster averted during ‘Jod Mela’, SDRF personnel rescue over 50 stranded devotees

Dehradun: More than 50 devotees had a narrow escape on Sunday as they headed to Gurudwara Shri Reetha Sahib during the ongoing ‘Jod Mela’ in Uttarakhand; however, the vigilant disaster teams averted the tragedy by swiftly mounting a timely operation to rescue all of them.

The incident occurred at the historic Shri Reetha Sahib Gurudwara in Champawat district, where Sikh devotees had arrived in droves to participate in the three-day annual fair, held to commemorate Guru Nanak Dev’s historic visit. The fair, on average, draws 2 lakh devotees every year.

As the group of pilgrims were taking a bath in the Ladhiya river, the sudden rise in water levels left them in a precarious position, putting their lives in peril.

The SDRF team, after getting information about the mishap, swiftly moved in and saved the lives of over 50 devotees, who got stranded due to a sudden rise in the water stream. The sudden gush of water created chaos, and devotees panicked.

According to eyewitnesses, a large number of devotees were bathing in the water reservoir, at the confluence of the Ladhiya and Ratiya rivers, before offering prayers at the Gurudwara Sahib. Heavy rainfall in the region caused the river’s water level to rise suddenly, forcing more than 50 to 60 devotees to scramble for safety. They clung to a small structure in the middle of the river, and the rescue teams pulled them to safety.

Due to the rising waters, several vehicles also became stuck in the riverbed area. Assessing the gravity of the situation, the SDRF team took charge and guided the vehicles to safety. They demonstrated courage, patience, and exceptional professional skills to safely guide all the stranded devotees across the river and also provided assistance in moving the vehicles stuck in the water to safer locations.

Upon receiving information, the local police and traffic police also sprang into action. Barriers were put on both sides to regulate the movement of people, and other devotees were prevented from entering the riverbed area. Through the joint efforts of the SDRF, the police, and the district administration, all the stranded individuals were safely rescued, and no loss of life occurred.

SDRF Commandant Arpan Yaduvanshi, briefing the newsmen, stated that, looking at massive crowds of devotees at the fair, sensitive weather conditions, and potential risks, the team had been deployed in advance. This very foresight and vigilance proved to be extremely effective during this disaster situation.

Commending all personnel involved in the rescue operation, he reiterated SDRF’s objective of ensuring a swift and effective response during such emergency situations.

IANS