Lance Naik Hanumanthappa Koppad is a lucky man, but there are still question marks over his chances for survival. The army jawan was found buried under 35 odd feet of snow in the Siachen glacier, where he was trapped for six days after being presumed dead. Now his battle for survival starts, at a hospital in New Delhi.
Harsh conditions they were that buried Lance Naik Hanumanthappa, and many presume that an air pocket was the reason for his survival, which seemed near impossible for many. He lay there next to five other dead comrades in temperatures ranging from minus 30 to minus 55 degrees before he was rescued in a daring operation at 20,000 feet, where men cut of blocks of ice inch by inch to pull him out.
The Lance Naik was a member of a squadron of military men who were patrolling the glacier. There have been calls by Pakistan to demilitarise the glacier but India has been cautious, knowing that this is an area that can facilitate the coming together of two of its neighbours, Pakistan and China. It costs the country Rs 6-7 crores daily, to patrol the region, considering the harsh conditions that prevail there, but that is a right move. All eyes will now be on the Lance Naik, as the next 48 hours are very crucial. Experts say there is little hope of survival now, because his organs may be damaged beyond repair. But India still hopes for a miracle.
