Elderly woman saved by traffic police

Elderly woman saved from drowning in Ulhas River near Gandhari Bridge, Kalyan West by quick actions of traffic police officers; now out of danger.

Thane: An elderly woman’s life was saved near Gandhari Bridge, Kalyan West, on Sunday morning due to the quick actions of traffic police officers. The 72-year-old woman, Sunanda Borse, had fallen into the overflowing Ulhas River while crossing the bridge and performing a ritual of immersing flowers in the water.

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The incident occurred around 11:30 am when Borse, a resident of Raunak City, was at the riverside to perform rituals and immerse ‘Nirmalya’ in the river. Due to heavy rainfall since Saturday, the river was significantly swollen.

Traffic Police Officer Machhindra Chavan and Traffic Warden Sanjay Jaiswar were alerted by a citizen who noticed Borse’s absence on the bridge. Acting swiftly, Chavan and Jaiswar rushed to the river and spotted Borse’s saree floating in the water.

“I noticed the saree about 15 to 20 feet inside the river,” said Chavan. “Fortunately, a mangrove tree downstream halted the woman’s drift. The river’s strong current made it challenging, but we knew we had to act swiftly. Holding hands, we entered the river, and despite the strong current, my height of 6 feet allowed me to grasp her saree. We then managed to grab her hand and pull her to safety.”

The officers administered first aid, draining water from her body, and found that she was still alive. Borse was taken to Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation’s Rukmini Bai Hospital for further treatment and is now out of danger.

Sukeshwar Borse, Sunanda’s elder son, expressed his gratitude, saying, “The traffic police were like gods sent to save my mother. When we received the call from the police, we were in tears. She was rescued so swiftly that she is completely fine now and will be discharged tomorrow. At 72 years old, she has been given a new lease on life.”