ITBP Archives - Lokmarg - News Views Blogs

ITBP Guards Indo-China Border, None Can Take An Inch: Shah

By LokMarg 31st December 2022

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday asserted that he is never worried about the India-China border as he knows that the ITBP personnel is guarding the borders there and “because of this, no one can occupy even an inch of India’s land”.

Shah was speaking at the inauguration of newly constructed buildings of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) here in Karnataka’s Devanhalli region and laying the foundation stone for a Central Detective Training Institute (CDTI) of the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D).
In his address, the Home Minister lauded the Himveers of ITBP for their dedicated service to the nation and said the government has been undertaking all possible steps to make the service conditions of the jawans better.

He said that ITBP serves in very difficult conditions and the nation knows the jawans as ‘Himveers’.

“The ITBP has been doing yeomen service to the Nation by keeping the toughest borders on the Himalayas safe in inhospitable conditions,” said the Home Minister.

“People have bestowed ITBP jawans the title of ‘Himveer’ which is bigger than Padma Shri, Padma Vibhushan.”

Shah said: “No one can occupy even an inch of India’s land as he knows that the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel are guarding the frontiers.”

His remarks came days after the December 9 clashes along the Line of Actual Control between the Indian and Chinese forces at the Tawang sector in Arunachal Pradesh.

Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines, Prahlad Joshi; Chief Minister of Karnataka, Vasavraj Bommai; Home Minister of Karnataka, Araga Jnanendra; Health and Family Welfare and Medical Education Minister, Karnataka, K Sudhakar; DG ITBP Anish Dayal Singh; and DG BPR&D, Balaji Srivastava, were also present on the occasion.

Shah’s remarks came days after the recent clash near Yangtse along the LAC in the sensitive sector took place after the over 30-month border standoff between the two sides in eastern Ladakh.

“On December 9, PLA troops contacted the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Tawang Sector which was contested by own (Indian) troops in a firm and resolute manner. This face-off led to minor injuries to few personnel from both sides,” the Indian Army had said in a statement earlier this month.

“Both sides immediately disengaged from the area. As a follow up of the incident, own (Indian) commander in the area held a flag meeting with his counterpart to discuss the issue in accordance with structured mechanisms to restore peace and tranquillity,” it had said.

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told in parliament that China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) troops tried to transgress the LAC in the Yangtse area of Tawang Sector in Arunachal Pradesh and unilaterally change the status quo but they went back to their locations due to timely intervention of Indian military commanders.

Giving a statement in the House, the Defence Minister had also assured the Upper House that “our forces are committed to protecting our territorial integrity and will continue to thwart any attempt made on it”. (ANI)

Uttarkashi Avalanche: Rescue Ops Delayed Due To Bad Weather

By LokMarg 7th October 2022

The operation to rescue the mountaineers stuck on the Draupadi ka Danda mountain peak in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district, where an avalanche hit on October 4, was delayed due to bad weather conditions on Friday morning.

Sub Divisional Magistrate, Bhatwadi, Chatar Singh said that four more bodies of the trainee mountaineers were brought on Friday morning, which will be taken for post-mortem.
“Four more bodies of trainee mountaineers have been brought this morning. Bodies are being taken for post-mortem. Their families have been informed,” Singh told ANI.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that a total of 19 bodies have been recovered so far and he is monitoring the rescue operation.

“Till now, 19 bodies have been recovered. Rescue operation is underway by teams of NDRF, SDRF, ITBP, Indian Army, and district administration. I’m also monitoring the rescue operation,” he said.

Earlier today, Uttarakhand DGP Ashok Kumar said that efforts are being made to bring the bodies to Matli helipad by Advanced Light Helicopter today.

Out of the 19 bodies, four bodies were brought to the summit camp by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) team deployed for the rescue operation, while 15 bodies were recovered at the place of the incident.

“From the summit camp, according to SDRF constable Sunil four bodies have been brought to the summit camp by the team,” said DGP Ashok Kumar.

Personnel from various teams of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM), the Air Force, the Army and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and the High Altitude War School in Gulmarg in Jammu and Kashmir have been deployed in the rescue operations, the official said.

Mountaineers from the NIM participating in a training course were trapped in a glacier crevice on Tuesday morning after an avalanche hit the peak. The team was returning after summiting.

NIM’s advanced training course team included trainees and instructors. On Thursday 12 more bodies were recovered.

Of the bodies recovered 14 were trainees and two were instructors, Uttarakhand Police said.

Earlier, Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami condoled the deaths of mountaineers.

“The rescue teams are working continuously and I am monitoring the situation”, the chief minister said.

On Tuesday, about 41 trainees and instructors of the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering were hit by an avalanche. The institute said that the Advanced Mountaineering Course commenced on September 14 at NIM Uttarkashi.

The course moved to the mountain on September 23 with 41 people- 34 trainees and 7 instructors and one nursing assistant and arrived at the Base Camp on September 25. As per the training program, the course went on for high altitude training from October 2-October 4. After summiting the 5,670-meter altitude Mt Draupadi ka Danda II the team was on its way back when the avalanche struck at around 8; 45 am above camp 1 in which 34 trainees and 7 instructors got caught in it, according to a release by the NIM on October 4. (ANI)

28 Mountaineering Trainees Trapped In Avalanche At Danda-2 Peak

By LokMarg 4th October 2022

As many as 28 people are feared trapped in an avalanche that hit Draupadi’s Danda-2 mountain peak in Uttarakhand, chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said on Tuesday.

Rescue operations are underway to rescue the trapped, all trainees of the Nehru Mountaineering Institute of Uttarkashi.
According to preliminary reports avalanche hit the team around 9 AM today.

“Information about 28 trainees of Nehru Mountaineering Institute being trapped following an avalanche in Draupadi’s Danda-2 mountain peak has been received. Rapid, relief and rescue operations underway by the district administration, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel,” CM Dhami said.

“Rapid relief and rescue operations are being carried out by the district administration, NDRF, SDRF, Army and ITBP personnel along with the team of NIM to rescue the trainees trapped in the avalanche in Draupadi’s Danda-2 mountain peak at the earliest,” tweeted the chief minister Dhami.

A SDRF team left from Sahastradhara helipad in Dehradun has rushed to rescue the trainees trapped in an avalanche for rescue work.

CM Dhami said that he has spoken to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and requested for help from the army to speed up the rescue operation.

“He has assured us to give every possible help from the Centre. A rescue operation is being conducted to bring out everyone,” Dhami said.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also took to Twitter and expressed his anguish to the loss of lives and consoled the bereaved families who lost their family members.

“Deeply anguished by the loss of precious lives due to landslide which has struck the mountaineering expedition carried out by the Nehru Mountaineering Institute in Uttarkashi. My condolences to the bereaved families who have lost their loved ones,” Rajnath Singh said in a tweet.

“Spoke to CM Uttarakhand, Shri @PushkarDhamiand took stock of the situation. Rescue operations are underway to help the mountaineers who are still trapped. I have instructed the IAF to mount the rescue and relief ops. “Praying for everyone’s safety and well-being,” Singh said. (ANI)