The Indian Air Force (IAF) rescued a head constable of the Jammu and Kashmir police wounded in a fierce encounter in the hilly Reasi district on Saturday, a defence spokesman said in Srinagar on Sunday.
The IAF in a quick response to a request from the state government flew a Chetak helicopter in the face of odds of a setting sun and no safe landing place managed to evacuate the wounded senior head constable, defence spokesman Lieutenant Colonel J S Brar said.
"The Air Force despite the constraints of dusk hours was quick to respond and sent a Chetak helicopter for evacuation. 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 Commander 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, Squadron Leader H S Cheema skillfully slithered down to pick up the injured police personnel. He was then carried to Jammu for treatment," Brar said.
"Thus calling on their utmost professional competence and courage Wing Commander S Chaturvedi and Squadron Leader H S Cheema successfully accomplished the mission they were assigned.This is the bravery displayed by our pilots in an adverse situation to help out our brothers-in-arms," Brar added.
