Kendrapara: If two brave girls had not come forward to rescue five people by risking their lives, the toll in Wednesday’s boat tragedy on the Mahanadi river in Nipania village might have been more.
The sisters, Purnima Giri, (15), and Sabita Giri, (14), are residents of Nipania village. The two, who study in Class IX at Gyanamayee High School, showed immense courage and saved two women and three children.
Purnima Giri had come out of her house Wednesday evening to light a diya. While going back at around 6.30 pm she heard shouts outside. She came out of the house and saw several women and children shouting for help. She asked her younger sister Sabita to come outside.
Without hesitating, the sisters jumped into the chilly crocodile infested river while the high tide was on to rescue the women and children. The sisters started the rescue operation by dragging two women from the river to the shore. Later, they rescued four children from the river by swimming to them to safety.
“We brought two women who had become unconscious due to the chilly water to our home and with the help of our parents we revived them. We went on rescuing children from the water with the help of others. Although it was dangerous we tried to save as many lives as we can,” said Sabita.
“I feel sad that I could not rescue more people as nine people drowned and another is missing,” said Sabita.
The boat tragedy occurred due to overloading and as there were no life jackets on the boat,” said Purnima.
Collector Dasarathi Satapathy praised the courage of the sisters and said he would recommend their names for bravery awards.
Around 55 people, six men, 27 women and 22 children belonging to 19 families of Hasina and Gandkipur villages in the Mangarajpur GP of Kujanga block had come to Hukitola for a picnic on a mechanised boat to celebrate New Year.
While they were returning one woman went to relieve herself after the driver had anchored the boat. As ill luck would have it, while the woman was returning to the boat, some passengers moved from one side of the boat to the other side and the overcrowded boat capsized.
Apart from the two sisters, Budhadev Giri, Balaram Das, Abhiram Das, Basudev Das and Sankesh Das of Nipania village also helped in the rescue operation.
PNN
