Indian Navy commander, captain win Asian of The Year award for Kerala flood rescue
Singapore, Nov 28: An Indian Navy commander and a captain were among those honoured at the 'Asian of The Year' awards here on Wednesday, acknowledging their selfless service and bravery in rescue operations during the devastating floods in Kerala.
Commander (Pilot) Vijay Varma and Captain (Pilot) P Rajkumar were honoured for their death-defying rescue flying during the floods earlier this year.
Commander Varma, 42, who was widely praised for leading the rescue in a district of the port city of Kochi, winched up a heavily pregnant woman who gave birth just after being airlifted to safety.
Captain Rajkumar, 54, winched 26 people up from a rooftop in Kochi while hovering between trees and other houses just two days after receiving a medal for saving a fisherman last year.
A video of his Sea King helicopter pulling up a wheelchair-bound pregnant woman was widely shared on social media.
Rajkumar ended up with 32 people on board.
Together with dozens of helicopters, Indian Navy pilots undertook high-risk missions to save people from rooftops and isolated land as the southern state battled the severe flood crisis in August.
"This year, the editors are pleased to honour the many men and women of courage and commitment who stepped up in the moment of greatest need," said a press release by The Straits Times daily which is associated with the awards.
Many ran towards the disaster-struck areas looking to help friends and neighbours moments after the tragedy. It is these people, together with organisations that would arrive later, that the daily would like to honour, it said.
Collectively, the award also goes to the late Ng Kok Choong, a Singaporean paraglider, for his rescue work in the aftermath of the recent earthquake in Central Sulawesi in Indonesia.
Also honoured were individuals who rushed to the scene of disaster, including at the Tham Luang cave rescue in Thailand and Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman, National Agency for Disaster Management (BNPB), Indonesia.
Others awarded included the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre), and Singapore NGO Mercy Relief, who operated amid large scale flooding, earthquakes and a variety of other disasters.
"They have served as a beacon of selflessness and the finest instincts of mankind - to preserve and protect the flock at the cost of their own lives, if necessary," said the release.
Warren Fernandez, editor of The Straits Times, said, "The first responders were picked after the briefest of debates because theirs was a standout case of courage and selflessness. In an Asia witnessing disasters of increasing frequency and intensity, it is clear that there is nothing like 'over there' anymore - we all are equally affected".
"These men, and the two organisations we picked, have taught us through personal example that at the end of the day security is indivisible," he said.
Now in its seventh year, The Straits Times Asian of the Year award, announced towards the end of each year, has become an important part of the Asian calendar since 2012.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Nightclub fire: Goa court remands Luthra brothers in police custody for five days
Panaji (PTI): A court in North Goa on Wednesday remanded Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra, co-owners of the ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’ nightclub, in police custody for five days.
The brothers, brought to Goa from Delhi after being deported from Thailand in connection with the December 6 blaze that killed 25, were produced in the court after undergoing health check-ups twice at the District Hospital in North Goa.
Judicial Magistrate First Class Mapusa Puja Sardesai remanded the two brothers in police custody for five days.
Advocate Vishnu Joshi, representing Bhavana Joshi who lost four family members in the tragedy, said that the accused were asking for “special consideration” claiming poor health.
ALSO READ: Dharmasthala mass burial case: Accused Chinnayya expected to be released on Wednesday
“We said they should not be given any extra relaxation,” he said, adding that the court has taken cognisance of the fact that this is about the death of “25 people in the form of mass genocide”.
“But since they kept pressing for medical check-up, the court ordered reexamination of their health. It is clear in the medical examination that they don’t require any consideration. The accused sought special considerations in the lock-up like a good mattress, which the court refused,” said Joshi.
A team of the Goa Police, along with the Luthra brothers, arrived at the Manohar International Airport, Mopa, in North Goa at 10.45 am.
The duo was initially taken to a Primary Health Centre at Siolim for medical examination. They were then taken to the District Hospital at Mapusa.
After their health assessment, the two were brought to the court.
The court directed that the accused be sent for fresh medical examination. Accordingly, the two were again taken to the District Hospital.
Later, they were produced before Judge Sardesai, who ordered the five-day police custody of the accused.
After the fire tragedy at Arpora village, the Anjuna police had registered a case against the Luthra brothers on various charges, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
The brothers were arrested in Delhi on Tuesday after being deported from Thailand. A court there allowed the Goa Police their two-day transit remand.
ALSO READ: Woman threatens to end life as police official refuses to accept love proposal, FIR registered
The duo had fled to Phuket in Thailand early on December 7, hours after the fire at their nightclub, prompting the authorities to issue an Interpol Blue Corner Notice and cancel their passports.
They were detained by Thai authorities at Phuket on December 11 following a request from the Indian government, which later coordinated with officials in Thailand to deport them under legal treaties between the two nations.
Five managers and staff members have already been arrested by the Goa Police in connection with the fire.
