Army rescues over 80 stranded students, staff amid snow storm in Jammu's Banihal

Banihal/Jammu: After a heavy snow storm and landslide in Jammu, army troops rescued over 80 students and faculty staff who found themselves stranded on the Jammu-Srinagar highway, officials said on Thursday.

Heavy snowfall and roadblocks caused by landslides on Wednesday left many commuters stranded along the treacherous Jammu-Srinagar highway, among them were 74 students of a law college and seven of its staff members, the officials said.

Army troops acted swiftly and rescued the panicked staff and students of the Rajasthan Law College from NH44, which was blocked.

Professor Kalpesh Nikawat, Principal of Mohanlal Sukhadia University, Udaipur hailed the Indian army for its rescue feat.

"I have no words to express my thanks to the Army which came forward for our rescue in such inclement weather and provided food and shelter to us...Hats off to Army," Professor Nikawat said.

He said the students and the staff had a wonderful trip to Kashmir but got stranded in Qazigund for three days due to closure of Jammu-Srinagar national highway amid heavy snowfall.

"A landslide occurred just 500 metres in front of our vehicle after crossing Banihal, leaving us frightened," one of the students said.

Praising the army, Professor Priyadarshi Nagda said the personnel responded to their desperate call for help within a couple of hours and provided blankets, food and shelter to the students and the staff.

One of the students, Ashutosh Shastri, who was also caught in the snow storm, said he was thankful to the army for their support, calling his stay at the army camp home-like.