Daijiworld Media Network - Beltangady (MS)

Beltangady, Jun 22: Showing presence of mind and courage, a boy studying in fifth standard, saved his friend from falling and drowning into a stream of water gushing in high speed at Fandije of Nittade village.

The incident occurred on Thursday, June 21. Aditya, a sixth standard student of Fandije government higher primary school and his friend Sujay, studying in the fifth standard of the school were returning home after classes.

Both the boys were crossing the footbridge made of areca nut tree at Dambe of Fandije village when Aditya suddenly slipped and was about to fall into the stream of water that was flowing at high speed below the footbridge. Sujay, who noticed Aditya slipping from the footbridge, immediately, caught hold of his ankle. Aditya was hanging upside down for some time. Sujay could not lift Aditya as he was not strong enough and also for the fact that Aditya was having his schoolbag and umbrella on him.

Sujay started crying for help in a loud voice and Aditya also started wailing. Aditya’s father Rathnakar Hebbar and another person Jayanand Sathe, who were at a short distance from the place of incident, rushed to the spot and lifted Aditya and brought him to safety. Sujay had held onto Aditya for nearly five minutes and saved his life.

Commending the timely presence of mind of Sujay, eye witnesses, said that if he would not have caught the ankle of Aditya in the nick of time, Aditya would have fallen into the stream, which is full of rocks and would have met a watery grave.

The boldness and courage of Sujay is the talk of Fandije village now.