Gujarat: BSF officer, jawan die due to extreme heat exposure during Pak border patrol
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AHMEDABAD: A Border Security Force officer and a jawan died during patrol due to exposure to "extreme weather" at the Harami Nallah creek area along the India-Pakistan international front in Gujarat, the force said on Saturday.
The incident, in which Assistant Commandant Vishwa Deo and Head Constable Dayal Ram are stated to have suffered heat stroke and dehydration, took place on Friday along the border, official sources said.
The current temperatures in the Rann of Kutch and Harami Nallah areas is between 34 and 36 degrees Celsius with humidity levels as high as 80 to 82 per cent.
Deo belonged to the 59th battalion of the Border Security Force (BSF) and the patrol team apparently ran out of water and energy fluids in the Harami Nallah marshy area that is experiencing extremely high humid conditions, the sources said.
They said water was rushed from the nearest base to the patrol team.
The two BSF personnel were rushed to a health facility in Bhuj by evening but they could not be saved.
In May, a jawan of the paramilitary force deployed on the India-Pakistan border in Rajasthan's Jaisalmer lost his life due to heat stroke.
On the latest incident, the BSF's Gandhinagar-based Gujarat frontier spokesperson said the two men along with other members of the force were undertaking a "long-range border patrol in remote and inaccessible terrain along international borders to the north of Harami Nala, known for its treacherous terrain, when they were caught in extreme weather conditions and suffered medical exigencies".
They were immediately evacuated to the nearest medical facility but they succumbed to their "critical health" condition, he said.
The spokesperson said despite their extensive training and experience, the "severity of the situation" proved overwhelming.
The two BSF personnel exemplified the highest standards of bravery and dedication. Their commitment in safeguarding the nation's sovereignty, even in the face of extreme danger, will never be forgotten, the BSF said in a statement.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with their families, friends, and colleagues during this incredibly difficult time," the spokesperson said.
The Gujarat Frontier of the BSF guards 826 kms of the India-Pakistan front, from Barmer in Rajasthan to the salty marshlands of the Rann of Kutch, including the Sir Creek area, in Gujarat.