Prez escort car falls into gorge, CM oversees rescue

The city dwellers had witnessed quite a number of times the Chief Minister supervising rescue works. Starting from the tragic AMRI fire to Vivekananda Road flyover collapse incidents, the Chief Minister had reached the spot within the minimum time possible and single-handedly supervised the rescue operation.

The people of the hills for the first time on Friday witnessed the same efficiency combined with deep sense of sympathy when the car of President’s convoy with five security officers fell into a gorge near Sonada.

Maintaining her cool, she was found keeping a watch on the every minute progress of the rescue operation. Being worried about the officers, she stood at the edge of the road and gave directions to keep the ambulance at the right place so that necessary treatment could be administered to the officers as soon as they were rescued.

Using a public addressing system, she said that the officers had a narrow escape on Friday. “There is nothing to worry as all five of them will be rescued one after another,” she said, while urged the officers, who were rescued, to be strong instead of worrying too much.

She greeted the people of the hills for their co-operation to carry out the rescue operation in such a smooth manner.

The people of the hills were astonished seeing the Chief Minister standing on the road amidst common people without worrying about her security. She didn’t leave the spot until all the security officers were rescued by the Special Security Wing commandos.

According to the local people, this is the first time when they had seen the Chief Minister supervising rescue work. 

“It is really unbelievable that a Chief Minister is supervising the rescue work. We had heard a lot about her sense of sympathy. But this is the first time when we have witnessed it firsthand,” said a local resident Tapan Chetri, adding that she had not left the place even after the security officers had informed her that it would be possible to rescue all the trapped people. She had moved ahead from the place to reach Bagdogra only after all the five people were rescued and sent to the hospital.

He further said that Chief Minister’s announcement of giving award to the SSW commandos will also give a boost to the morale to police and other security officers.