Several students trekking in Kurangani hills in Tamil Nadu's Theni district were caught in a forest fire on Sunday, according to media reports.
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that 20 students were caught in the blaze.
Responding to the request from the Hon @CMOTamilNadu on the forest -fire related issue -20 students are caught in Kurangani, Theni district. Instructed @IAF_MCC to help in rescue and evacuation. The Southern Command is in touch with the Collector of Theni. @ThanthiTV @pibchennai
— Nirmala Sitharaman (@nsitharaman) March 11, 2018
Sitharaman added that the Indian Air Force (IAF) would be pressed into service and that Southern Command was in touch with the Theni district collector. Sitharaman said she was responding to a request from Tamil Nadu chief minister K Palaniswamy.
File image of Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. AFP
According to ANI, Sitharaman spoke to Theni district collector Pallavi Baldev, who informed her that at least 10-15 students had been rescued. Sitharaman added that operations to rescue the remaining students were on.
Madurai circle conservator of forests RK Jegania told the Times of India that the college students were caught in the forest fire around 4 pm. One of the students called her father, who then alerted the forest department, the report added.
“They had not obtained permission for trekking. We have dispatched 40 of our personnel for rescue operation,” Jegania said. Baldev said there are no casualties thus far. “Once the students are safely brought down, further details will be known,” Baldev told the Times of India.
With inputs from agencies
Published Date: Mar 11, 2018 20:08 PM | Updated Date: Mar 11, 2018 20:32 PM
