Eleven people, including two women and two minors, were swept away by the strong current of overflowing water while they were attempting to cross the Rapi River that flows through the Bilkheda gram panchayat in Baran district of Rajasthan. All the people were, however, safely rescued in operations that continued late into the night.
Eleven people, including two women and two minors, were swept away by the strong current of overflowing water while they were attempting to cross the Rapi River that flows through the Bilkheda gram panchayat in Baran district of Rajasthan. All the people were, however, safely rescued in operations that continued late into the night.
According to sources, the incident took place in Bikheda village that falls under the jurisdiction of Kasbathana police station in Baran. Eyewitnesses said that all of them were walking over stone slabs trying to cross the river when they were overwhelmed by the sudden increase in the flow of water and were swept away by it.
What happened?
Eleven persons of Sahariya tribal community, including two women and two boys, were walking on a path made of stone slabs cross the Rapi River. They were returning from the nearby Devari town where the weekly market had wrapped up. “Around evening, when the market was over, people started returning home. This group was also headed to their respective village along with a dozen others,” SHO at Kasbathana police station Suryanarayan Singh said.
The first batch of the Sahariya villagers managed to cross the river on foot. By the time this group set foot on the stone slabs, the water level had risen substantially and the flow had increased catching them unawares. The walk is some 500 meters to the next side. Four of them immediately swam to shore. However, the remaining couldn’t and went along with the current downstream.
The lifesaver
The villagers who were members of the Sahariya community were residents of nearby Kotda village, SHO Suryanarayan Singh told DNA that the seven who were caught in the current of the overflowing river had managed to catch hold of two trees on its banks. They had latched on to its branches and trunk and somehow managed to stay put till the rescue team moved in and helped them out.
The villagers had a tough time informing the police and the administration of the accident that had taken place before their eyes. Sources said that the mobile network is erratic. However, once the message was conveyed to the administration, a rescue team was put together and dispatched to the village. Since, the incident took place in evening and the police came in only around 7 in the evening, the light was also not good.
The rescue operation
A rescue team from Baran arrived at the village, sources said. This was after the local police first arrived at the scene. The rivers and rivulets in Kota region are on swell due to constant rains in the region for last few days. Some of the stranded people had by that time climbed the trees and others were holding on to the remaining in a desperate bid to save them from the current.
“They were all rescued one by one with ropes,” an official said. The operations continued into the night. Even the four who had managed to swim to safety had first climbed the trees and then looked for a safe point of evacuation. The women and the kids were brought to safety first, sources said.
Kota Rivers Swell
The rivers and rivulets in Kota region are on swell due to constant rains in region for last few days. Some of the stranded people had by that time climbed the trees and others were holding on to the remaining in a desperate bid to save them from the current.
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