The Indian Army, IAF, NDRF and ITBP, all played a huge role in the rescue operation to evacuate the tourists stranded midair on the ropeway of Trikuta hills, 20 km from the district headquarters of Deoghar in Jharkhand.
However, there were unsung heroes like Panna Lal Panjiyar and Govind Singh, who as well contributed to the rescue of the people for two days on the 850 metres high hills.
Both Panjiyar and Govind Singh are staff members of Damodar valley corporation which operates the ropeway since 2009.
Panjiyar who was called by the deputy commissioner of Deoghar told Free Press Journal, "I am a fitter (electrical) employee by DVC since 2009. I have never seen such an incident in the past."
He recalled the incident of April 10 evening and said, "I was on duty when suddenly heard cries from the ropeway as cable cars started sliding on the rocks following a midair collision."
"I collected rope and climbed to the height of 20 metres where tourists in one of the cabins were stranded. Pulled four of them and one by one brought them to the launching ground," he said.
"Till Sunday evening, I could rescue 15 people from different cabins and when operations resumed next morning, I first went to cabin number 4 in which four people were stuck. On Monday (April 11) evening, I managed to rescue four more who were stranded midair in the cabin at a height of 50 metres and brought them to the ground by tieing them with rope," Panjiyar added.
Narrating the thanksgiving by the tourists, Panna Lal said, "when I rescued the first four tourists, they referred to me as God. Among those rescued, two were kids."
Like Pannalal, 32-year-old Govind Singh, a mechanical helper with the ropeways told FPJ, "In at first, I saved two tourists stranded in cabin number 27 which was 150 feet away from the base camp. They were local villagers. I used ropes to bring them down and an initial success encouraged me to climb higher and rescue more."
"The IAF helicopters rescued tourists from the cabins stranded midair between the peaks of the Trikuta hills," Singh said.
On 10 April 2022, a cable-car collision was reported at Trikut hills in Deoghar district, Jharkhand. At least three people were killed and more others were injured. Helicopters and Indian Army personnel were called for a rescue operation in which over 38 people were saved.
