IAF rescues injured cop in Kashmir
By IANSSunday, May 9, 2010
SRINAGAR - A head constable of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, severely injured in a fierce gunfight in the mountainous Reasi district of the Jammu region, was rescued by the Indian Air Force (IAF) amid extremely difficult conditions, a defence official said Sunday.
According to a defence spokesman, the Kashmir government Saturday requisitioned the services of the IAF to evacuate the head constable.
The IAF, despite the constraints of dusk having fallen, was quick to respond and sent a Chetak helicopter for evacuation, the spokesman, Lt.Col J.S.Brar, said here Sunday.
“With the setting sun and no safe place to land the helicopter in the vicinity of the encounter site due to step farming being followed in the region, Wing Cdr S. Chaturvedi, the captain of the helicopter and an experienced pilot, decided to hover over the roof of an abandoned house while the co-pilot, Sq Ldr H.S. Cheema skilfully slithered down to pick up the injured policeman,” Brar said.
The head constable was brought to Jammu for specialised treatment, he added.
