If it was a suicide attempt or just an impromptu bid to challenge the swirling murky waters is yet to be known. But the fire and rescue services personnel in Aluva survived a scare of their lifetime while rescuing a man who got trapped in the furious currents of the Periyar the other day.
It all began with a phone call to the fire force office on Friday evening, alerting personnel on duty to a man who had jumped off the aqueduct near Kunjunnikkara. The caller said a person, apparently under the influence of alcohol, was seen walking along the aqueduct before launching himself into the waters.
“We first thought it was a suicide bid, but as we reached the spot, we found the person clinging on to a pillar of the bridge and seeking help even as the horrified onlookers stood helpless. It was already 6.30 p.m., and we could not afford to take time contemplating and planning his rescue,” said an officer with the Aluva fire station.
Poor visibility
However, launching a rescue operation was never going to be easy. The river, riding on the back of a copious monsoon, was flowing in full fury, while the visibility conditions were deteriorating with nightfall.
“However, we decided to go ahead with the rescue efforts as we realised that the person might not be able to survive the frigid water for long. A lifebuoy was soon thrown out, while a fireman, with a rope tied around his body, launched himself into the water,” he added.
While his initial attempts to reach out to the man fell flat, the official finally managed to grab him and drag him out of the waterbody. He was soon handed over to the police who shifted him to a nearby hospital.
“With the level of his intoxication, he is lucky not to have drowned. It took us almost 40 minutes to reach out to him,” the official said.
The Aluva East police, who registered a case, are yet to establish the identity of the person, presumably an inter-State labourer. Neither have they been able to establish what prompted him to take the plunge.