'Frostbite major cause of amputation for ITBP jawans'

Frostbite and high exposure in sub-zero climate along the Sino-India border has emerged as a major cause of limb loss and amputation among the troops of border guarding force ITBP.
The Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) force today launched a rehabilitation and training programme for 86 of its specially-abled personnel here with the help of a non-governmental organisation working in this domain.
As per the figures brought out by the force, 29 of its troops had to undergo amputation due to frostbite, 13 suffered eye vision or hearing loss, 11 suffered hypertension and other neurological problems.
Also, nine troops lost their limbs due to blasts, eight suffered paralysis or spine damage, eight had to undergo fracture or some kind of deformity while eight others became victims of such physical problems due to other reasons.

"Over 70 per cent of these cases occurred when the personnel were on-duty. While they are still engaged with the force in non-operational tasks, a need was felt to provide better aid and help to these men who gave their best in the line of duty. The figures pertain to a period dating to a few years back," a senior official said.
ITBP chief Krishna Chaudhary said the force will take the help of the NGO to provide as much as help as it can to its personnel.
The mountain-trained force has its deployment in high-altitude areas to secure the 3,488km China border.

The 90,000 personnel force was raised in 1962 in the aftermath of the Chinese aggression.