11 year old braveheart jumped thrice into Brahmaputra to save mother, aunt
GUWAHATI, Sept 06: Eleven-year-old Kamal Kishore Das braved the strong current of a swollen Brahmaputra river and put his life in danger by jumping into it thrice within 20 minutes even after safely reaching the bank, to save his mother and aunt.
His only regret—he could not save a woman and her child even after pulling them to safety. "I had just pulled out my mother and my aunt when I saw a woman with burka and a child in her arms struggling to stay afloat. I jumped again into the water and pulled both of them to the concrete slabs of the pillars of a water reservoir on the river. Unfortunately, the child slipped into the water from the woman’s hands and was swiftly swept away by the river. The woman too jumped into the river and I saw her being swept away into the river before I could take another jump," Kamal told TOI.
Kamal, a class VI student of St Anthony’s School at North Guwahati, was returning home along with his mother and aunt after dropping his grandmother at her home in Guwahati when the ill-fated country boat they were riding capsized and sank in the Brahmaputra river, which is in spate.
“When the boat hit the pillars of the water reservoir and started sinking, my mother asked me to take off my shoes and swim to the bank. I did and reached the bank. I then realized that my mother and my aunt were not with me. I jumped back into the river and started swimming in the place where the accident happened. I saw my mother. She does not know swimming and was struggling in the water. I caught her by her hair and thought the hairs would come off and immediately held her by her hand and pulled her towards the pillars,” Kamal said.
Along with Kamal and his mother, there were many other survivors who had managed to swim to the pillar and cling on to it for life. “Suddenly I saw a woman at a distance who looked like my aunt and she too was struggling to stay afloat. I took another jump and pulled her to the pillar.
Courtesy: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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Mangaluru’s Karavali Utsava is back; Cultural, beach events lined up, here’s the complete schedule
Mangaluru: This year’s Karavali Utsava will commence on December 20, with a wide range of cultural, adventure, and tourism-focused programs planned across Mangaluru and other parts of the Dakshina Kannada district, Deputy Commissioner Darshan H.V. said.
He was speaking while presiding over a Karavali Utsava preparedness review meeting held at the District Commissioner’s office.
The main event will be held at the Karavali Utsava grounds in the city. In an effort to promote beach tourism, special programs will be organised at six beaches across the district, which include Panambur, Ullal, Someshwara, Sasihitlu, Tannirbhavi, and the Blue Flag Beach.
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Outlining the schedule, the Deputy Commissioner said adventure sports will be held at Sasihitlu Beach, while a wine, cheese, and cake festival will take place at the Tannirbhavi Blue Flag Beach.
A music festival and triathlon are planned at Tannirbhavi Beach. Football, volleyball and other sports events will be organised at Ullal Beach, cultural programs at Panambur Beach, and a music evening and yoga program at Someshwara Beach.
In addition, food festivals featuring a variety of local and regional cuisines will be held at all beaches. The Kala Parba program and a flower and floriculture exhibition will be organised at Kadri Park, while a film festival is also planned in Mangaluru city.
A football tournament will be held at Nehru Maidan on December 27 and 28, and special programs will be organised at Pilikula Nisargadhama. To attract tourists, helicopter joyrides have also been arranged, the Deputy Commissioner said.
The review meeting was attended by Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Narvade Vinayak Karbari, Mangaluru Deputy Divisional Officer Meenakshi Arya, Deputy Commissioner of Police Mithun H.N., Deputy Conservator of Forests Antony Mariappa, and other officials.
