Saturday, February 12 2005 13:09 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Shimla: At least 17 Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) Jawans were feared trapped under 12 to 14 feet of snow at Saunthin post in alpine region of Chamba District bordering Jammu and Kashmir, official sources said in Shimla today (Feb 12, 2005).

The ITBP headquarters and the district administration have not been able to establish any contact with the post for the past two days and an Army helicopter sent for reconnaissance could not reach the area due to inclement weather, Deputy Commissioner, Chamba, Rahul Anand said.

Despite bad weather, efforts would be made to send the helicopter and rescue teams today, he added.

After the massacre of 35 people in Satrundi area on August 2, 1998, 13 ITBP posts were erected along the border.

The border post can be reached only after 12-14 km of trekking on steep hills but all approach roads have been blocked due to heavy snow. Moreover the Chamba-Sanghani road, the last point from where the steep climb starts, was also blocked due to rain and snow.

The official said that there were sufficient stocks of food grains and other supplies, including kerosene and dry food, to last several days and safety of the jawans was the only concern.

Efforts were on to establish wireless contact with the post. While the members of village Defence committees and SPOs have volunteered to take part in rescue operations, the district administration has sought the help of Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Manali, for rescuing the trapped jawans.