Hill Collapse: Army Hopeful About Rescue Of Trapped Operators Today

Jeypore: With the fate of the two JCB operators, trapped under the huge boulders on the foothill near Bariput village in Koraput district since last 10 days, not yet known, the Army Engineering team is hopeful about the rescue of the duo by evening on Saturday.

Official sources said the Army team, after blasting six huge boulders, has located the JCB machine and hopes that it would be able to rescue the trapped operators after blasting two huge boulders later in the day.

The team in the last 24 hours has been able to blast three huge boulders.

Notably, the district administration had sought the help of the NDRF team after the ODRAF team and the fire brigade failed in the rescue operation on the third day of the incident. Later, a 40-member NDRF team from Mundali in Cuttack had rushed to the site. But the team, despite its valiant efforts could not succeed in its mission. As a last resort, the administration had sought the help of the Army on the seventh day. Following the request, a 9-member Army Engineering Team from Ranchi and New Delhi arrived at Bariput on the eighth day and started rescue operation with two Army officials posted in Koraput district.

The two JCB operators— Ghanshyam Guru of Deogarh and Sanjay Dash of Athgarh area in Cuttack district— were engaged in excavating boulders for the ongoing Telengiri Irrigation project near Bariput village when the hill suddenly caved in around 5 pm on May 31.