Jammu: Five army personnel who were trapped after the snow tracks they were tra

velling on caved in at Machil sector in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district, ha

ve been rescued. A rescue operation had begun immediately after the soldiers wer
e trapped.
"The snow track leading to an army post caved in at Macchil this morning, result
ing in five soldiers getting trapped under the snow," officials had said.
Sources say the five soldiers belong to 56 Rashtriya Rifles and were on routine
counter insurgency duties when the mishap occurred.
The incident comes just days after two avalanches hit a military post and a patr
ol along the Line of Control or de facto border between India and Pakistan, kill
ing 15.
A massive overnight avalanche on Wednesday had buried a military post manned by
10 soldiers in the Gurez sector. Despite hostile weather, rescue operations were
launched and an officer and six soldiers were rescued from the buried post. The
bodies of three soldiers were recovered.
Another avalanche had swept away an army patrol in the same area.
Kashmir has seen heavy snow this week and authorities had warned of the "high da
nger" of avalanches over Friday and Saturday.
Power and communication lines have also been cut in some areas.
Officials evacuated dozens of residents from high-risk areas after authorities i
ssued avalanche warning in many parts of the region, especially along the Line o
f Control.
On Wednesday, four members of a family and an army officer were killed when they
were buried by two separate avalanches.
In 2012, a massive avalanche in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir killed 140 people.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is addressing a public meeting today in Panjim ahea
d of the Goa assembly elections, scheduled for February 4. This comes a day afte
r the Prime Minister campaigned in Punjab's Jalandhar alongwith the state's Chie
f Minister Parkash Singh Badal. Prime Minister Modi is expected to highlight the
achievements of the BJP-led government in the state over five years and critici
se the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party - which has fielded former Inspector Gen
eral of Prisons Elvis Gomes as its chief ministerial candidate. "The Congress is
in a real bad shape. They are being opportunistic," the Prime Minister said yes
terday in Jalandhar. Earlier during the day, the Prime Minister also addressed N
CC officers and cadets at a rally in New Delhi.
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Following are the highlights of PM Narendra Modi's speech:
The last five years have been an era of development.On this foundation, we w
ant to take the progress forward.
In a survey of all small states, they found Goa was the shining star.
Infrastructure, social schemes - the Goa government set an example for even
the bigger states.
I see from Delhi how much work has been done in Goa, I feel very happy about
it.

For years, Goa has suffered from a disease. This election is to rid Goa of t
hat disease.
What is that disease? It is the disease of instability.
Political turmoil has hindered Goa's progress.
There was a time in Goa's recent history when it saw a dozen chief ministers
in 10 years.
This slowed down Goa. This instability suited the Congress very well. They m
anaged to shirk accountability.
But then people of Goa decided to give five years to a single government. Ho
wever, even then, for their own benefit they ran away.
I appeal to people of Goa to give us a comfortable majority. If you do that
I promise you, we will make Goa India's most comfortable state.
Today, the Centre is stressing on tourism.
People said tourism will dry up - notes ban will affect tourism.
Today, they have been silenced.
The old government did not understand that to bring tourists from abroad, yo
u have to focus on the international audience. We did that.
The government's efforts to encourage tourism benefits Goa the most.
This is an industry which can give huge returns even with small investment.
The poorest of the poor can earn from it.
For 10 years, there was a government at the Centre which had no interest in
building any bridges in Goa.
This would adversely affect the state's economy. That's why we have focused
on infrastructure in Goa.
We are building a bridge which will be a convenience for the people and an a
ttraction for the tourists.
I can say proudly our government at the Centre has helped Goa more in 25 mon
ths than in the last 50 years.
This is our speed; this is our direction.
Some people don't progress and don't let others progress. These people are
the pickpockets of democracy. They show the country in a poor light.
The government is going to release its budget on February 1.
Some parties have already started calling economists and intellectuals. They
are making drafts of messages to criticise us in Goa, Uttarakhand, Uttar Prades
h, Punjab.
They are working harder than the Finance Minister in their efforts to malign
the budget.
They are like those parents who blame teachers, schools for their children's
poor performance in exams.
Some parties have questioned why the Election Commission scheduled Goa and P
unjab elections on the same date.
This means they are prepping for losing. If you don't have faith in the umpi
re, why have you come to play?
People are trying to drag politics to such levels and they feel proud of it.
Tell me, aren't Indians smart? Why is the Congress being defeated across the
country?
Well, Goans are smarter than the rest of India.
They have seen Congress's misrule and corruption. So they will not vote for
the Congress.
There can be political differences, ideological differences - this is normal
in a democracy.
But it pains me when political leaders run away from debates about developme
nt.
Governments should be measured by the development they bring.
Today the world, after many years, is watching a government which can take s
trong, decisive decisions.
Tell me, isn't the whole world hailing India or not? In America? In Japan? I
n China? In Sri Lanka? In Nepal?
What is the reason for this? Not because of Modi. This is happening because
125 crore Indians picked a government with complete majority after 30 years.

Shouldn't Goa too have a stable government with a comfortable majority? Shou
ldn't Goa be hailed across India?
That's why I appeal to you to give us a comfortable majority.
There is a time constraint. I have to leave before the sun sets, I cannot br
eak rules of the armed forces. The Defence Minister is sitting here.
Goa has given such a strong Defence Minister. The world is still talking abo
ut surgical strikes.
Once Indian soldiers decide something, they prove their valour.
February 4 is voting day. Please vote in large numbers. Let Goa bloom like t
he lotus.