Officers of the Indian army, Indian Air Force and the district administration helped in airlifting a pregnant woman, who was in critical condition, to a medical facility amidst heavy snowfall in northern India's Jammu and Kashmir.

The incident reportedly happened in Dudi village, Macchal sector in Kupwara district on January 17.

Visuals showed the air evacuation taking place. The pregnant lady was taken out of the army helicopter and put in an ambulance by army officers.

According to a report, the local army unit in Dudi received a distress call from the Sarpanch of the village which stated the four-month pregnant woman, identified as a 35-year-old named Zareena Begum was in a critical condition. Excessive snowfall from January 7-14 has cut off the whole of Macchal sector which ruled out surface transportation for getting the lady some medical support.

Officers of the Indian Army, Indian Air Force and District Administration then conducted the speedy air evacuation of the pregnant woman with the help of an IAF aircraft, which was on operational duty. The Army Ordnance Corps (AOC) granted immediate clearance for the air evacuation to take place.

The lady was then transported to the Dudi army helipad where she was taken into the Mi-17 helicopter, which was piloted by Wing Commander N Chaudhary and Squadron Leader A Pandey. She was taken to the Army helipad in Kupwara, where an Emergency Medical Response Team of the Army took charge.


The pregnant woman was accompanied by her husband Mohd. Rafiq Khan and two other ladies. The medical team then stabilised her vitals and transported her to the District hospital in Kupwara where she would get further medical attention.