Northern Army commander visits Kishtwar village, thanks people for helping crew after chopper’s hard-landing

Jammu, May 12 (PTI) Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi on Friday visited Machna village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district and thanked the villagers for providing timely assistance to the crew after the hard-landing of a chopper of the security forces on May 4.

The Army helicopter crashed after the hard landing in a forested area in the upper reaches of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district 4 following a technical fault, killing a technician and injuring the two pilots on board.

The advanced light helicopter (ALH) Dhruv was on an operational mission and it came down on the banks of a river in Marwah area, cut off from the district headquarters due to heavy snow.

“I was in Srinagar. There were DCs and DGP. I told them that I am coming here (village) to thank you all,” Lt Gen Dwivedi told the villagers.

He further said the village’s name is now know by all for the good work they have done saving the army aviators during chopper crash.

“We put it on Twitter. More than 3.50 lakh people have seen it. The pictures of yours have gone throughout the world, you all and your village is now a known place,” the GoC-In-C said.

He said the army will extend support to this village whatever they can do.

In separate messages, the two aviators also thanked villagers for the immediate support and help to them.