Slithering operations displayed at Army Day parade despite accident

Slithering operations from a helicopter were on display during the Army Day Parade on Monday, despite an accident during a practice drill on January 9.

A video of soldiers falling after the rope they were slithering down came unstuck went viral ahead of the Army Day, after which sources had said the operation will not be carried out on D-day.

However, during the annual press conference ahead of the Army Day, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat said it was a routine matter as accidents do take place during practice, and soldiers are always prepared for it.

"We accept casualties during training, we have had accidents during training," General Rawat had said.

The video of the accident that took place on January 9 showed three soldiers hanging from the rope at the same time. While the first soldier was closer to the ground, the third soldier had just caught hold of the rope when it came off.

The accident occurred since the boom of the Dhruv helicopter, to which the rope was tied, broke off.

On Monday however, the soldiers were seen slithering one by one, and the next soldier took on the rope only when the first one had landed.

Slithering operations are employed to drop troops in an area where a helicoptr cannot land.

--IANS

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