Amarnath attack: How Maha govt flew down victims

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis swung into action on Monday night after a team of state government officials briefed him that two of the dead Amarnath yatra pilgrims — Nirmala Thakur and Usha Sonkar — and eight of the injured hailed from Dahanu in Palghar district. Taking stock of the situation, Fadnavis asked the officials from the departments of General Administration, and Relief and Rehabilitation to arrange for the victims to be transported.

A helicopter was organized to airlift the bodies from Surat to Dahanu, while officers remained in touch with the J&K authorities to track the health of the injured who will soon be travelling to Dahanu by road. Palghar district authorities made the arrangements to deplane the bodies and transport them to the homes of deceased, while adequate police personnel were deployed.

Fadnavis later announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to the families of Thakur and Sonkar.

Additional chief secretary (in charge of Relief and Rehabilitation) Medha Gadgil said, "As soon as the news of the attack was received, the Mantralaya Emergency Operation Centre got into touch with the Police Control Room in Anantnag. Of the Rs 10 lakh, Rs 5 lakh will come from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund and the remainder from the Relief Commissioner."