Worker Rescued Just in Time from Tunnel Peril

Trapped Workers in Uttarakhand Tunnel Played Games to Keep Spirits High

After being trapped inside a tunnel in Uttarakhand for a long period of time, the workers came up with creative ways to distract themselves and stay positive. One of the rescued workers, Pushkar Singh Ari, revealed that they started playing games like ‘Raja Mantri Chor Sipahi’ to keep despair at bay.

Pushkar Singh Ari, hailing from Champavat in Uttarakhand, is currently receiving treatment at a makeshift hospital near the tunnel. He was among the 41 workers who were rescued after a 17-day operation filled with multiple setbacks.

When asked about their plans to return home, Ari stated that nothing has been confirmed yet. They might be taken to AIIMS, Rishikesh for CT scans, and their condition will be monitored for 24 hours. Ari mentioned that his brother Vikram is accompanying him at the hospital.

Recalling his harrowing experience, Ari described the tough hours they endured before rescue teams managed to contact them. He said, “We had no hope at all. We were not able to understand the situation, we were blank.”

Ari explained that while there was electricity in the section of the tunnel they were trapped in, there was no source of oxygen. They relied on the water dripping from the mountains for drinking.

To keep their spirits high, Ari mentioned that they supported each other. They realized that anxiety and fear wouldn’t help, so they helped each other out by collecting water and laying out blankets.

The group of trapped workers included electricians, plumbers, machine operators, and foremen. They relied on their skills and teamwork to overcome any challenges that arose.

During their confinement, the workers played the popular indoor game ‘Raja Mantri Chor Sipahi’. The game requires four players, with each receiving a folded chit representing a king, minister, thief, or cop. The top scorer is the one who gets the king chit. The minister’s task is to identify the thief, and if they are wrong, the thief gets the minister’s points.

The senior staff among the workers, foremen Gabbar Singh Negi and Sabha Ahmed, were the last to leave the tunnel after ensuring their colleagues’ safety.

For the first 12 days, the trapped workers survived on dry fruits before they started receiving cooked meals. Food, oxygen, and communication were sent through a 4-inch pipe, which served as their lifeline.

Ari mentioned that their hopes were boosted when they were able to talk to their families during the last stage of the rescue operation. This gave them the assurance that they would eventually be rescued.