In a miraculous turn of events, a truck driver's life was saved in Madhya Pradesh after he spent nearly three days hanging between life and death, trapped in his vehicle at the bottom of a deep gorge. The rescue mission was launched only after the GPS tracker fitted in his heavy-loader sprang back to life, alerting the owner to his precise, perilous location.
A Journey Interrupted and a Desperate Search
The ordeal began on Tuesday when the truck, loaded with corn, set off from Chand village. Its destination was the Borgaon industrial area in Sausar tehsil, a route spanning approximately 130 kilometres. When the vehicle failed to arrive on time and the driver, Asif Khan from Seoni district, could not be reached on his phone, concern began to grow.
It was on Thursday morning that the truck's owner, Ravi Baghel, decided to check the vehicle's GPS data. The coordinates showed the truck was stationary at a blind curve in the treacherous Silewani Valley. Fearing the worst, Baghel immediately rushed to the spot with his staff and alerted the local police.
The Daunting Discovery and Rescue Operation
What they found was a scene of devastation. The truck had plunged into a nearly 200-foot-deep gorge and was badly mangled. Inside the crushed cabin, Asif Khan was found alive but in a critical condition. His leg was pinned under the vehicle, leaving him completely immobilised.
Remarkably, despite being stuck in the ravine for close to 72 hours without food or water, Khan was conscious when the rescue team finally reached him. Officials launched a difficult and daunting operation, using ropes and specialised equipment to navigate the unforgiving terrain and reach the driver deep inside the ravine.
A Miraculous Survival and Investigation
After several hours of relentless effort, Khan was carefully pulled out and administered first aid on the spot. The recovery of the truck itself required more than one crane and took several additional hours due to the extreme depth and difficult landscape.
The injured driver was subsequently referred to the Chhindwara district hospital for further treatment. Umranala police, who are investigating the accident, confirmed the pivotal role of technology in the rescue. A police officer stated, "The rescue was possible only after the truck's GPS location was traced by its owner." The investigation is now focusing on whether excessive speed or poor visibility at the blind turn caused the tragic accident.
This incident highlights a harrowing tale of survival against all odds, where modern technology became the lifeline for a man stranded at the edge of death.
