An Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter on Monday rescued a man who was stranded at Kutaghat Dam near Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh amid the heavy water flow of the dam. In a clip that was released by news agency ANI, security personnel in the IAF Mi-17 chopper could be seen heroically rescuing the hapless person from the rising level of water of the dam.
"Indian Air Force chopper today rescued a man at Khutaghat Dam...Due to heavy flow in the dam, IAF was requested to carry out a rescue operation," Dipanshu Kabra, Inspector General, Bilaspur Range told ANI.
In the video clip, it could be seen that bystanders watch in awe as the IAF Mi-17 chopper slowly lowers itself to reach the person holding on to a tree trunk with all his might as formidable forces of water gush past him. A support was lowered from the chopper and the man slowly hauled up into the chopper as he was rescued. As soon as the person was safely secured inside the helicopter, the villagers gathered around to witness the spectacle cheer out in applause.
The stranded man sat on a rock holding on to a tree. The state officials tried to rescue him on Sunday night, however, they could not get him out, according to the Bilaspur police.
The 34-year-old man has been identified as Jitendra Kumar Kashyap. Soon after the rescue operation, the man was taken to Ramkrishna CARE Hospitals, Raipur.
Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has directed all district collectors and superintendents of police to stay alert amid incessant rains.
The Chief Minister has asked the officials to ensure all necessary measures related to disaster management, keeping an eye on floods in the affected areas.
The Chief Minister has also directed to assess the damage and provide help to affected people as soon as possible.
He also gave orders to make medical arrangements keeping water-borne diseases in mind.
India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted rain in different parts of the state in the next two days.
(With ANI inputs)
