Indian rescue team's valour shines in Myanmar: Tale of faith, loss, and unwavering humanity

Mandalay (Myanmar): Indian personnel are tirelessly conducting relief and rescue operations in quake-struck Mandalay, braving the stench of death to recover bodies from the rubble. Amid the devastation, a story of faith and resilience emerged—one that will be etched in the memory of those who witnessed it.

It was the sacred hour of Alvida Namaz of Ramzan when the catastrophic 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar last Friday, the death toll of which has risen to more than 3,000.

Near Street 86A in the former royal capital of Mandalay, a devout Muslim woman and young child, among others, were deep in prayer, unaware of the disaster unfolding around them.

"We men were performing Alvida Jumme ki Namaz at the mosque while women and children were praying in their respective homes in the society," Aadam Hussein, 65, told PTI.

"Within moments, the ground convulsed violently, reducing a residential complex with around 50 people, mostly women and children, to ruins and leaving destruction in its wake," he said.

When the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and other Indian personnel reached the site two days later, they faced initial resistance from locals in this Muslim and Nepali Hindu-dominated area of Mandalay, home to around 1.5 million people and the city closest to the epicentre.

"It took us more than three to four hours before we could start the rescue operation. They thought it was being delayed intentionally, but they didn’t understand our process. It was all part of the rescue efforts we had been conducting since morning at the site," a rescue team member, who wished to remain anonymous, told PTI.

On Tuesday, rescuers found several bodies at the site. "Among many bodies, it seemed a woman was still in the posture of prayer with her child beside her, entombed in the debris," he said.

Indian relief personnel began preparing to extract the remains carefully. But just as they prepared to lift the body, a tense moment unfolded. The woman’s grieving family resisted their efforts.  “Don’t touch the body, we will handle it,” family members told a rescue official.

Respecting their wishes, the Indian team stepped back. The locals, determined to retrieve their loved one themselves, attempted to lift the decomposed body from the rubble.

"But the cruel passage of time had made the body fragile; at the slightest touch, it began to disintegrate. Realising they lacked the expertise to recover it intact, they hesitated. Their earlier reluctance turned into an urgent appeal," the rescuer explained.

With a nod of understanding, the NDRF personnel resumed their task. With finesse and precision honed by experience, they carefully extricated the woman’s body, preserving the dignity of her final posture in prayer.

"The same voices that had hesitated to accept help now whispered words of gratitude," a senior NDRF official who was present at the site told PTI.

Deputy Team Leader of the NDRF Search and Rescue operation team in Myanmar, NDRF Deputy Commander Kunal Tiwari, said the team is trained in dead body management.

Mandalay city has been divided into four sectors—Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, and Delta—for relief and rescue operations. Local authorities have allocated Delta to India for rescue work, while the other three sectors are being handled by China, Russia, and the Myanmar Fire Service Department.

The NDRF team has attended 11 of the 15 worksites allocated in Mandalay and has rescued around 30 bodies so far.

"We are very satisfied with the efforts made by India. My daughter, who sustained severe injuries, was successfully operated on at the field hospital set up by the Indian Army," Addam Hussein said.

An elderly man, his voice thick with emotion, praised the Indian rescuers as the NDRF team continued searching for 24-25 missing people. “May Allah bless them.” India launched 'Operation Brahma' soon after the quake, under which medicines, ration, food and tents were airlifted and shipped to the country through its military aircraft and ships.

Under the operation, the Indian Army established a field hospital in the city. In the first two days of its operation, around 200 patients have been treated, with 34 admitted for further care.

"Locals have been arriving since they learned about the hospital. Besides earthquake victims, other people have also sought treatment, and we are happily treating them," Lt. Col. Jagneet Gill, Commanding Officer of the 60 Para Field Hospital, told PTI.

The Indian Army is also providing food to earthquake victims who have taken shelter on the streets.

"Indian people are supporting us. We are searching for our family members in the rubble. We are thankful to Indians for assisting us at this difficult time," said 25-year-old Ummer Malik.

The strong earthquake severely damaged numerous historic and religious sites, including mosques, pagodas, and Hindu temples. The Myanmar government stated that over 3,000 buildings were damaged, including about 150 mosques and pagodas.

Eighty personnel from the NDRF have been working tirelessly in the city including at the historic U Hla Thein monastery, where over 100 monks are still missing under a 'pancake'-collapsed building, as well as at Ganga Ghat Hindu Temple and several other locations in the city.

In a 'pancake' collapse, floors of a building structure fall one over the other.

Many people have expressed their appreciation for the Indian disaster response team, including Aadam Hussein, who concluded his remarks by saying, "Thank You, India."