Indian Air Force carried out a “risky” evacuation of a critically injured Border Security Force constable from Krishnagar for his admission to the SSKM hospital in Calcutta in the small hours of Sunday.

On Saturday night, authorities of the South Bengal Frontier made an SOS to Indian Air Force authorities for the airlift of one of its jawans who had been seriously injured in an accident while doing an operational task in Murshidabad’s Jalangi.

The 157 Helicopter Unit of the India Air Force sent a Mi-17 V5 air ambulance, with a qualified medical team onboard, from its Barrackpore base shortly after midnight. It landed in Jahangirpur near Krishnagar and evacuated injured jawan Sabir Ahmed Wani. Wani, who is attached to the 141 battalion, was airlifted from Jahangirpur helipad, on the outskirts of Krishnagar town.

He was then dropped off at Dumdum airport and rushed to the SSKM hospital by the BSF team.“It is a great gesture by the Indian Air Force authorities who helped us save the life of our jawan”, BSF’s South Bengal Frontier’s DIG (G) Amerish Arya told The Telegraph on Sunday .BSF sources said that on Saturday night, constable Sabir Ahmed Wani was critically injured when a tractor on which he was travelling during an operation overturned in Jalangi of Murshidabad district.BSF authorities brought him to Berhampur Medical College Hospital.

However, since his condition was deteriorating fast owing to multiple injuries, the hospital authorities referred him to the SSKM in Calcutta for better treatment.

“His condition was so serious that we couldn’t waste time taking him to Calcutta by road. So we immediately decided to move towards Krishnagar in our special ambulance and at the same time made an appeal to the Indian Air Force for the evacuation of the jawan by air from Krishnagar for his earliest admission to the SSKM hospital in Calcutta,” said BSF DIG Arya.

BSF sources said that Indian Air Force authorities reacted with “great alacrity” to the appeal and sent an air ambulance to Krishnagar.“It was a tough mission since it was night and the helipad was also an unfamiliar one. But we are thankful to the crew who accomplished the mission in a fine way,” a senior BSF official said.

The air ambulance dropped the jawan at Dum Dum airport shortly after midnight. He was admitted to SSKM around 1.30am on Sunday.“This incident has proven our commitment towards saving the precious life of every Borderman. We were able to take prompt action by placing a requisition before the Indian Air Force”, added BSF DIG Amerish Arya.