Young boatman risks own life, saves elderly man from drowning in Mahanadi river near Cuttack

CUTTACK: A routine fishing trip turned into a life-saving mission for Sanatan Palia.

Key points

• Nevertheless, by then, the robust current had carried Samal almost 2-3 km downstream.
• Samal was rushed to SCB Medical College and Hospital for treatment and was afterwards taken home by his family members.
• Police remarked Samal had been mentally depressed after the death of his mother a few days ago.
• Impervious to the danger, he immediately steered his country boat towards the drowning man and managed to obtain hold of him.

CUTTACK: A routine fishing trip turned into a life-saving mission for Sanatan Palia. This person risked his own life to rescue a 72-year-old man from drowning in Mahanadi river near Cuttack on Friday.

For context, the 26-year-old Palia, a resident of Sunaribana under Jagatpur police station, was fishing in the river when he spotted the elderly man being swept away by the solid current at a distance of 300 to 400 metres from him. Impervious to the danger, he immediately steered his country boat towards the drowning man and managed to obtain hold of him.

His small boat sank in the process but Palia indicated incredible courage and put his own life at risk to pull the elderly man safely to the river bank.

According to police, the rescued man Pratap Chandra Samal, a retired professor and a resident of Haldi Basant village in Bari Ramachandrapur of Jajpur district, was living with his family in Tamando area of Bhubaneswar.

Police remarked Samal had been mentally depressed after the death of his mother a few days ago. On Wednesday morning, he left home telling his family that he was going to the market to purchase vegetables. Instead, he came to Cuttack in an autorickshaw and allegedly jumped into the Mahanadi from the bridge at around 10.45 am.

Passers-by who spotted him jumping immediately alerted the Jagatpur police. A police team along with fire service personnel rushed to the spot and introduced a rescue operation.

Nevertheless, by then, the robust current had carried Samal almost 2-3 km downstream. The fire service personnel applied a power boat but were unable to reach him.

It was Palia, who was fishing in his country boat nearby, noticed the man being swept away. Without hesitation, he turned his boat towards Samal and managed to rescue him.

Palia's courage and presence of mind have drawn high praise from various quarters. Recognising his brave feat, Jagatpur police station IIC Prashant Sasmal awarded him a cash prize of `7, 000.

Taken together, the developments around young boatman risks own life, saves elderly man from drowning in Mahanadi point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.