Group of medicos trapped in Himachal arrives in New Delhi, narrates ordeal

New Delhi: After enduring 60 hours of isolation and witnessing terrifying landslides, a group of Malayali doctors trapped in Himachal Pradesh have been safely evacuated to Delhi by the Kerala government. A team of 27 doctors spent five days in the remote Gramphu village before returning to the capital.

Meanwhile, the 18 doctors from Thrissur Medical College, who were stranded in Kheerganga, are expected to reach New Delhi tomorrow morning. They successfully descended the mountain yesterday in a rescue operation coordinated at Kerala House here.

The team reached Delhi had found themselves stranded near the Spiti Valley, a sparsely populated region, when heavy rainfall began during their journey back to Delhi. Initially, the rain started lightly but quickly escalated into a heavy downpour, posing significant challenges for the team.

While attempting to clear the road of mud and debris caused by the rain, the doctors encountered a major hurdle as large boulders cascaded down from the mountains due to a landslide. It became evident that the vehicle they were travelling in could not proceed further. The tour operator arranged a safe house for the women in the group, while ten men remained trapped. With mobile networks and electricity down, establishing contact with the outside world became impossible. Eventually, they reached a nearby police aid post, where they conveyed the message of their safety to their families. However, they were left with a meagre Rs 2000, prompting concerns about their sustenance.

In the harsh cold, the doctors subsisted on bread and instant noodles, while grappling with heavy rains and flooding.

Upon learning of the doctors' predicament in Himachal Pradesh, state health minister Veena George dispatched two senior doctors to Delhi to oversee rescue efforts. Dr. Ganesh Mohan, Superintendent of Ernakulam Medical College, and Dr. Ravindran, Liaison Officer at Thrissur Medical College, were entrusted with the task.

Minister Veena George personally monitored the progress of the rescue operation, receiving updates every hour. In addition to the assistance of Himachal Pradesh police, the state government sought support from the Indian Army in locating the stranded doctors. KV Thomas, the state government representative in New Delhi, and J Shajimon, Norka Development Officer, actively participated in the mission.