'Licked Water From Rocks, Ate Muri...': Jharkhand Labourer Recounts 17-Day Ordeal In Collapsed Uttarakhand Tunnel

New Delhi: Anil Bediya, a 22-year-old labourer from Jharkhand, was among the 41 workers who were trapped inside a tunnel in Uttarakhand for 17 days after a landslide. Speaking to news agency PTI, Bediya told how he and his co-workers endured the terrifying ordeal by eating puffed rice and licking water from rocks. He said they had lost all hope of survival when they heard loud shrieks and saw the tunnel collapse on November 12.

Bediya, who is now recovering at a hospital in Uttarakhand, said they were overjoyed when they heard voices from outside after nearly 70 hours. "The authorities established contact with us and advised to drink water from the rocks", Bediya told PTI. He said had no choice but to relieve themselves inside the tunnel He said they survived on puffed rice (muri) for the first 10 days, and then received fruits and hot meals along with water bottles.

A Miraculous Rescue

Bediya said they prayed fervently for their rescue, and finally God answered their prayers. He said he was grateful to the rescue team and the government for saving their lives. He said he was eager to return to his home in Khirabeda, a village near Ranchi, where his mother and other relatives were waiting for him. He said 13 people from his village had gone to Uttarkashi for work, but only three of them were inside the tunnel when the disaster struck. He said 15 of the 41 workers were from Jharkhand, and they were all happy to see each other alive.

Bediya's Joyous Reunion With His Mother

Bediya's mother, who had not cooked food for the last two weeks, was ecstatic to hear the news of his rescue. Talking to PTI, she said she had been living on the food provided by her neighbours. She said she was proud of her son for his courage and resilience. In Khirabeda, another worker's father, who was paralysed, celebrated in a wheelchair after hearing the news. He said his son Rajendra, 22, was his only hope and support. Two other workers from the village, Sukhram and Anil, both in their early 20s, were also rescued from the tunnel. Sukhram's mother, who was also paralysed, was too overwhelmed to express her emotions.

The rescue operation began on November 12 after a portion of the under-construction tunnel on Uttarakhand's Char Dham route collapsed following a landslide, blocking the exit for the workers inside. The rescue team faced several challenges, including heavy boulders, waterlogging, and low oxygen levels. They used heavy machinery, drilling machines, and cameras to clear the debris and locate the workers.

They also provided oxygen, food, water, and medicines to the workers through a pipe. The rescue operation was supervised by the Uttarakhand government and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). The workers were finally brought out of the tunnel on Tuesday evening, after 17 days of relentless efforts.