NDRF jawan injured in attack by angry locals

Srinagar: An NDRF jawan was today attacked by angry locals here while few other personnel of the force were heckled while they were rendering relief and rescue operations in the flood-hit areas.

Officials said a National Disaster Response Force trooper received severe injuries on his hand when the locals attacked him.

The locals apparently wanted the NDRF men to concentrate on a particular area and when the force personnel decided to go to a different marooned area, the locals attacked them.

"The jawan has been sent to Chandigarh for treatment and was accommodated on a scheduled IAF flight going to that city.

Few incidents of our men being heckled are being witnessed since yesterday in the state," a senior officer said.

Worried by the development, the NDRF and senior Home Ministry officials have asked the Cabinet Secretary to devise some mechanism so that troops are kept safe while they render their duty.

"It has been decided that CRPF will guard rescue teams but we are still to find a way to implement this mechanism as there is limited space on the boat.Carrying securitymen on boat means reducing space for people to be rescued," a senior official said.

Meanwhile, the government has rushed NDRF chief O P Singh to Srinagar to personally monitor and supervise rescue operations in the state.

The NDRF has deployed 19 teams and over 150 boats in the flood-hit states for these operations.