Who is Munna Qureshi, the rat-hole miner praised as the hero of the Uttarakhand tunnel rescue operation?
On Tuesday, rat-hole miners achieved a significant breakthrough in the Uttarkashi rescue mission, with Munna Qureshi becoming the first miner to reach the trapped individuals. The extensive 17-day rescue operation in the Silkyara tunnel concluded successfully on Wednesday, with all 41 workers emerging from the entrapment in good health.
The rescuers garnered praise for their relentless hard work and determination, with PM Modi saluting the spirit of everyone involved in the mission. Various government agencies, employing substantial resources, operated 24X7 in the challenging terrain of the Uttarakhand tunnel. Despite this, the rat-hole miners played a crucial role in the final stretch, with Munna Qureshi, the first to reach the workers, being hailed as the hero of the operation.
Who is Munna Qureshi? The first rescuer to meet the 41 men
Munna Qureshi, a 29-year-old rat-hole miner employed by a Delhi-based trenchless engineering services company specializing in clearing sewer and water lines, was among the group of miners dispatched to Uttarakhand. Their mission was to clear the final 12 meters of debris in the rescue operation. Rat-hole miners became the last resort after the US-made auger machine malfunctioned and was extracted from the tunnel.
Rat-hole mining involves extracting coal by digging small pits, though it was banned in 2014 for being considered unscientific. Munna Qureshi, having removed the last rock on Tuesday evening, revealed the discovery of the 41 trapped workers. His efforts were met with gratitude as the workers, upon being freed, hugged him, applauded, and expressed profuse thanks.
Monu Kumar, Wakeel Khan, Feroz, Parsadi Lodhi, and Vipin Rajout, following their strenuous efforts, joined the trapped individuals. The men inside, who had been patiently awaiting a breakthrough, erupted in happiness and raised the miners in celebration. One of the miners expressed gratitude for being given almonds. The miners spent approximately thirty minutes there before the NDRF arrived to rescue the individuals who were trapped.
