Tragedy Strikes Flood-Hit Bihar: Man Dies, 3 Injured During IAF Air Drop
Tragedy Strikes Flood-Hit Bihar: Man Dies, 3 Injured During IAF Air Drop
A devastating incident in Bihar's Saran district during flood relief operations! A 58-year-old man died and a woman & two children were injured during an IAF helicopter air-drop. Details emerge as investigation begins. #
A tragic incident unfolded in flood-stricken Saran district, Bihar, on Friday, leaving a 58-year-old man dead and three others injured during an Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter relief operation. The deceased, identified as Anil Kumar Singh alias Appu Singh, a resident of Parshurampur village, was allegedly struck by a relief packet air-dropped from an IAF helicopter.
According to officials, Singh had reportedly finished his lunch and was outside when a helicopter made a low-altitude drop.
One relief packet, reportedly weighing around 5 kg, allegedly hit his head, followed by another striking his chest.
He collapsed and was declared dead at the scene.
Villagers, who had gathered near a relief camp after being displaced by the rising waters of the Gandak river, gave conflicting accounts to the police, with some insisting the packets hit Singh directly while others suggested he may have suffered a heart attack. Police noted that no visible external injury marks were found on his body, and a post-mortem examination at Sadar Hospital will determine the precise cause of death.
A case has been registered, and an investigation is underway, with the district magistrate of Saran verifying the circumstances and providing initial monetary help to the victim's family. In a separate, but related incident, a woman identified as Vimla Devi or Rambha Devi, aged around 45, suffered a fracture, and two children received minor injuries.
They were reportedly struck by debris or structural elements blown by the helicopter's powerful downdraft while standing on a roof at a lower altitude. They were treated at a local health centre. These incidents occurred amidst a severe flood emergency in Saran, where embankment breaches along the Gandak river have inundated large areas.
Officials report that approximately 170 villages across 33 panchayats in six blocks are affected, impacting an estimated 3.32 lakh people and over 75,000 families.
Thousands remain displaced on embankments and higher ground.
Aerial drops of dry ration packets were intensified after the district administration requested additional supplies, with the Chief Minister's Office directing the use of IAF helicopters.
More than 3,000 packets had already been air-dropped before the tragedy, and further drops are planned. Ground efforts continue with multiple NDRF and SDRF teams operating in the district, alongside the movement of tens of thousands of additional ration packets and polythene sheets from neighboring areas. #BiharFloods #IAFRelief #SaranTragedy
