J-K DGP visits flood-hit Akhnoor border areas in Jammu to review the situation

Jammu, Sep 3 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) Nalin Prabhat on Wednesday visited flood-hit areas of Akhnoor border belt to review the situation after several hamlets were inundated by the overflowing Chenab river.

Accompanied by local MLA Mohan Lal, senior police and Border Security Force (BSF) officials, Prabhat assessed the ground situation and interacted with rescue teams engaged in evacuation and relief work.

He also visited Akhnoor Border Outpost (BOP) to review operations being carried out jointly by the police, BSF and other agencies, officials said.

BSF Sunderbani DIG Varinder Datta briefed the team on the conditions along the borderline.

Forest Minister Javed Rana also toured the area to take stock of the situation. He interacted with locals and operational teams.

In a daring operation, the BSF pressed a helicopter to launch a high-risk rescue operation to evacuate 45 civilians, including women and children who were trapped in their flooded village in Akhnoor sector, they said.

Akhnoor Sub-Divisional Magistrate Mukhtar Ahmed said that 45 people trapped in the area were safely evacuated on Wednesday.

Providing an update, SP Rural Brijesh Sharma said that due to the rising water levels of the Chenab river in Akhnoor's Gadkhal area, around 100 houses have been affected. So far, 45 people have been safely evacuated using boats, with Indian Army assistance ensuring the safe rescue of all affected residents, he said.

Troops of the White Knight Corps launched rescue and relief operations in Dhar Khour and Channi villages of Akhnoor, evacuating around 80–90 civilians, including children, to safer places, they said.

Two persons in critical condition were among those rescued, the officials said.

The Army also set up medical camps at Pallanwala and Palatan to provide immediate assistance to evacuees.

The Jammu Police continued operations across the district, rescuing stranded residents from Akhnoor, Khour, Belicharana, Miran Sahib and other affected areas. They also rescued over 100 people.

"We have coordinated across all affected areas, mobilising every available resource. All our agencies, along with paramilitary forces, the Army, NDRF and SDRF, are engaged in rescue operations, while the civil administration is ensuring the supply of essentials," SSP Jogender Singh said.

According to officials, the Chenab river in Akhnoor has crossed the evacuation mark, with the water level recorded at 42 feet (317.59 metres) and discharge of over 5 lakh cusecs.

The Jia Pota Ghat and several temples were partially submerged, while about 100 houses in the Gadkhal area were affected.

The Army assisted the police in rescuing 40 residents using boats.

Several houses in Kotli village were also inundated due to the river's overflow following incessant rains. PTI AB KSS KSS