January 15, 2025
January 15, 2025
ITANAGAR, Jul 08: State DGP Sandeep Goel on Saturday credited Papum Pare SP Tumme Amo who led from the front and organised the search and rescue operations in an outstanding manner.
Terming the crash as ‘unfortunate’, the police chief said that the post incident four days was very tough as locating the crash site and retrieval of bodies proved much tougher than the police could imagine.
“Amo not only coordinated with all forces IAF, Army, ITBP, NDRF and motivated and liaised with the local villagers, coordinated with district administration and doctors, organised the entire movement of our over 150 strong search parties from first day including planning, briefing, taking care of their logistics, food, arms, ammunition and equipments, but also kept a proper official record of everything through establishment of control room, issuing instructions in writing, issuing movement orders, maintaining proper log,” Goel said.
“He also kept his seniors informed of each and every development through any possible communication means even when he was himself in jungles. On top of it, he kept media briefed appropriately so that our efforts were reflected in the newspaper reports and there was no speculative story,” the DGP said in a statement here.
Amo and DSP Nyelam Nega led five parties each in jungles from two sides to locate the crash site on first day. One party was able to sight the debris from a distance and it was a big breakthrough on the first day of the search itself.
On second day, Amo himself led the search parties and reached the spot along with IAF and Army personnel. It was more than six hrs jungle journey and a 300 meter steep descent in the last. Three dead bodies could be located including that of the IRBn constable.
Amo returned only late night with injury in leg and a number of leech bites all over the body. A few team members stayed at the crash site in the night. One inspector suffered knee dislocation was also stranded at the crash site. IAF airdropped some essential items.
On third day, the IAF made repeated attempts to airlift the three dead bodies and one injured but due to bad weather they could airlift only two dead bodies and that too only in the evening.
“Seeing the failed attempts by IAF, it was time for us immediately think of a plan-B to evacuate our dead body and the injured positively by fourth day. So plan-B was made and executed on third day afternoon itself,” Goel said.
“STF commandos were mobilised, boys of sports team of 1st Bn were called, all 12 DSP probationers were detailed and Amo somehow convinced the young boys of Hostalam village to come to the site next day morning and help us in physically lifting the idead. All logistics were planned. More tree cutting equipments were arranged. Six DSP probationers with STF left for the site on third day afternoon with plan to stay overnight,” he said.
“Meanwhile, our constable’s body had reached Tezpur. We waited for it to reach back anxiously and finally it reached R K Mission Hospital on Friday night. Amo monitored the movement also through the night and I wonder how he has managed practically without sleeping these four days,” he said.
On Saturday as the weather improved, the fourth body was also detected below the debris of the crash, the DGP said adding the body of the IRBn constable was handed over to the relatives after post mortem and his last rites would be performed in his native village at Ziro.
Goel also congratulated the entire team and also appreciate Ringu, Karga and Aya who, played a very important part in the entire operations. While Nabin Payeng kept guiding the entire planning from the beginning.
