Country applauds heroic efforts of agencies involved in Deoghar rescue operations: PM Modi

New Delhi, Apr 13: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said the entire country applauds the heroic efforts of those involved in the rescue after a ropeway accident in Jharkhand and lauded the exercise as an example of 'sabka prayas' during an interaction with the personnel of various agencies and civil society members who took part in the operation.

This crisis has again made it clear that whenever there is any mishap in the country, everyone comes together to come out of it, he said, adding that collective efforts have played a big role in the rescue of people trapped following the incident. The rescue is an example of sensitivity, prudence and bravery, he said, lauding 'sabka prayas' (collective efforts) for its success.

Over 60 tourists were trapped in cable cars midway for over 46 hours at Trikut Hills, about 20 km from the famous Baba Baidyanath temple in Deoghar in Jharkhand, since Sunday after a ropeway malfunction that resulted in trolleys colliding. They were evacuated by combined teams of the Indian Air Force, Army, ITBP, NDRF and the district administration.

Three persons died in the tragedy. Modi expressed sadness that the lives of three persons could not be saved and said, "Our deepest sympathies are with the families of the victims." He also wished a speedy recovery to those injured. The prime minister said the country is proud that it has such a skilled force in the form of Army, Air Force, National Disaster Response Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police and police force, which have the capacity to bring the people of the country out of every crisis safely.

Rescue personnel of different agencies shared their experience with Modi, who asked them to document it so that it could be referred to in future. The entire country applauds heroic efforts of those involved in the rescue operation in Deoghar, he said. "For three days, round the clock, you completed a difficult rescue operation and saved the lives of many people of the country," Modi told the rescue personnel.

Home Minister Amit Shah, who was also present during the online interaction, said various agencies worked in coordination to complete the rescue operation with minimum harm. He said Modi has changed the focus of disaster management which was oriented to relief before the new government in 2014 prioritised saving lives. This entire operation is an inspiration, he said. PTI