Indian army airlifted pregnant women from Machhal Sector in Kupwara

The local army unit at Dudi, Macchal Sector received a distress call from the Sarpanch of Dudi Village informing that 35 year old Zareena Begum wife of Mohd Rafiq Khan who is four months pregnant was suffering from excessive bleeding and was in critical medical condition. The entire Macchal Sector is presently cut off due to excessive snowfall from 07 Jan to 14 Jan thus surface transportation for providing specialist medical support was ruled out.

 

Immediate joint planning was carried out by Indian Army, Indian Air Force and District Administration and speedy air evacuation  was planned by diverting the IAF aircraft on operational duty in the Kashmir Valley for this urgent humanitarian effort. 

 

While the District Administration initiated prompt requisition, keeping the urgent medical need AOC J & K granted immediate verbal clearance for the air evacuation . The Army personnel at Dudi quickly transported the pregnant lady to Dudi Army Helipad and the Air Force authorities immediately dispatched Mi-17 helicopter piloted by Wing Commander N Chaudhary & Squadron Leader A Pandey to the site. Thereafter the  critically ill pregnant lady was flown to Army Helipad at Kupwara alongwith her husband and two lady relatives. At Kupwara Army Helipad the Army Emergency Medical Response Team took charge, stabilised her vitals and subsequently transported her to District Hospital Kupwara for further medical attention.

 

The timely joint efforts of the Indian Army, Indian Air Force and District Administration  in carrying out this air evacuation of the critically ill pregnant lady were appreciated by the locals of Macchal Sector and Kupwara.