Uttarakhand floods: 4,700 pilgrims brought back to Punjab

Chandigarh: About 4,700 pilgrims from Punjab, who were stranded in flood-ravaged Uttarakhand, have been rescued and safely brought back to the state. The pilgrims rescued from Kedarnath, Badrinath and Govind Ghat have been shifted to their respective destinations in Punjab, a spokesman of the Chief Minister`s office said.

Punjab Government had already stationed two teams in Uttarakhand to assist in the ongoing rescue operations. 95 buses have so far transported 4,700 pilgrims from Uttarakhand to Punjab, he said, adding they were taken home in private taxis. Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, who also holds the portfolio of Home, has directed the DGP to immediately send two special platoons including 60 policemen and 40 drivers, to Uttarakhand to evacuate pilgrims stranded beyond Joshimath. PTI