Siachen Miracle: Pray for our son's survival, Lance Naik Hanumantha's family to TNM

'It was difficult to even believe that he was saved'

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The Betadur village in Karnataka's Dharwad district is in relief and jubilation, but with a sense of fear and tension. This village is home to the family of Lance Naik Hanumanthappa, who was found alive on Monday after six days of rescue efforts under 25 feet of snow, after an avalanche in the Siachen glacier.

However, his condition remains critical.

Hanumantha's mother, 62-year-old Basamma, his wife Mahadevi and his 1-and-a-half-year-old daughter were huddled together in their Betadoor home on Tuesday morning, with the women praying for Hanumantha's survival.

Speaking to The News Minute, Hanumantha's uncle Gadigeppa said "We are happy. The entire village is happy and relieved. We were eagerly waiting for some news for past few days. It was difficult to even believe that he was saved. Now, we need everyone to pray for his survival."

"We realized that Hanumantha was found, through the media only," he said.

The soldier's mother and wife now want to travel but are waiting for the government to send some form of transport to help them.

On Tuesday, he was evacuated to the army's base camp at the Siachen Glacier from where he was flown to Delhi's Research and Referral Hospital in a special air ambulance. His condition is critical but stable and he is undergoring various tests in the hospital, army sources said, quoting PTI.

The soldier is still in coma and continues to be placed on a ventilator given to protect his airway and lungs. His blood pressure continues to remain alarmingly low. He is currently suffering from pneumonia along with liver and kidney dysfunctions.

The PM earlier on Tuesday visited the Army's Research and Referral Hospital in New Delhi to see Lance Naik Hanumanthappa.

Ten soldiers of the Madras Regiment were buried last week after their post was hit by an avalanche at an altitude of 19,600 feet close to the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan, where temperatures can go down to minus 45 degrees Celsius.

Five bodies have been recovered so far. Hanumantha was found with nothing more than a pulse, and was immediately shifted to a hospital.