Srinagar: A CRPF jawan saved the life of a Kashmiri election official when he suffered a heart attack during polling on Thursday.
Around 9 am, constable Surinder Kumar of 28 Battalion stationed at the polling booth in government girl’s school, Buchpora, noticed that presiding officer Ahsaan-ul-Haq was feeling unwell. He was given first aid, but fell unconscious within a minute, the Times of India reported.
Kumar, who is among the 50 CRPF personnel trained by the Red Cross Society as “first responder” during critical situations, tried to call the emergency numbers, but none offered immediate help. However, he immediately sought help from his senior in the battalion, Dr Suneed Khan.
After receiving the call, Khan discerned that it was a heart attack and immediately instructed Kumar for the next 45 minutes over the phone to give cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and mouth-to-mouth respiration to Haq.
Kumar performed 30 compressions and three mouth-to-mouth respirations as instructed.
“He responded to the situation intelligently and followed my instruction very diligently,” Khan told TOI.
Meanwhile, Khan called the Sher-e Kashmir Institute of Medical Science (SKIMS) as well as the deputy commissioner of Srinagar for an ambulance.
The ambulance arrived at 10 am after which Haq was shifted to SKIMS. Doctors said the timely intervention saved the official’s life.