New Delhi: Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad, hailing from Betadur village in Karnataka’s Dharwad district, was found “to be conscious but drowsy and disoriented”, when he was rescued and was “severely dehydrated, hypothermic, hypoxic, hypoglycemic and in shock”.
The “miracle” soldier is also suffering from “low blood pressure”, has pneumonia and is also battling liver and kidney dysfunction. But in a ray of hope, the Army said “fortunately, there was no cold exposure-related frostbite or bony injuries to him”.
Sounding a note of caution, the Army said the soldier is expected to have a “stormy course in the next 24 to 48 hours due to the complications caused by re-warming and establishment of blood flow to the cold parts of the body”.
Speculation is rife that Lance Naik Hanamanthappa was probably saved — when he was trapped — by the presence of an air pocket when the rock-hard ice sheet and boulders trapped the soldiers.
He was in an “arctic” pre-fabricated tent or hut when disaster struck and speculation is rife that the hut may not have collapsed completely, leading to some insulation from the icy weather for the beleaguered soldier.
PM Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar visited the Army’s R&R Hospital to monitor developments on the treatment of the brave soldier and also prayed for his recovery.
