Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun/Rishikesh, 18 Aug: Amid continuous heavy rainfall across Dehradun district, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) carried out two daring rescue operations in Dehradun and Rishikesh late last night, saving a total of eight lives. Yesterday, six students of UPES University who had gone trekking in the Swarna river area near Misras Patti, Than Village, Dehradun, were trapped when sudden downpours caused the river level to rise sharply. Receiving the alert, the SDRF team from Dakpathar immediately set out, trekking nearly six kilometres on foot through difficult terrain and swollen streams to reach the stranded students. All the six students were safely rescued and handed over to the district police, with their condition reported to be normal.
Later, in a separate incident, SDRF received information from Pasulok Barrage police outpost late last night about a Max vehicle that had overturned into the Been River near Rishikesh. A rescue team led by Sub‑Inspector Mahavir Chauhan from the Dhalaula post rushed to the site. One person was pulled out safely after strenuous effort, while another remained trapped inside the vehicle which had drifted some distance in the strong current. Considering the gravity of the situation, another team under Inspector Kavindra Sajwan joined the operation. With coordinated teamwork and courage, both the teams managed to extricate the second person safely. Both the rescued persons were later sent to hospital for treatment.
In these two incidents, SDRF’s swift response, determination and teamwork ensured the safety of all the eight people. Meanwhile, speaking to the media, Commandant Arpan Yaduvanshi cautioned the people that river levels can rise suddenly during the monsoon. He appealed to tourists, the local residents as well as the trekkers to avoid riverbanks and fast‑flowing streams during the rainy season. He advised that travel and trekking plans should be made only after checking weather forecasts and local conditions, as negligence in such circumstances can prove dangerous.
