E-Paper
Khadakwasla drowning: Man hailed a ‘hero’ after saving 5 girls at the cost of risking his life
Sanjay Sitaram Mathale risked his own life to save five young girls from drowning in Khadkwasla Dam. He jumped in the water and swam against the currents to rescue them.
Sanjay Sitaram Mathale, a 52-year-old local, never thought that he would find himself in a situation, where he risked his own life to save five girls from drowning on Monday.
Mathale, along with other local villagers participated in a post-death ceremony being held on the banks of Khadkwasla Dam on Monday morning at 8 am. As he was offering flower, Mathale heard cries of help and went to investigate. He soon spotted a group of young girls, all around 10-years-old, struggling in the water. Mathale knew he should do something, and despite being scared, he jumped into the water.
“Once I jumped in, it was all chaotic. I swam as hard as I could. I knew I couldn’t give up as their lives now depended on me. As soon as I reached the group, I took hold of one of the girls and started swimming back to the shore. She was struggling to breathe and was scared. The others were still in the water and I swam back to save them.”
Mathale fought against the currents and swam to and fro and rescued all the five girls one by one. When he was informed by one of the girls that two of her companions were missing, he dived in again, but could not find anyone.
“Their faces showed relief and gratitude when they realised they were safe. I am glad I could help,” said Mathale.
Narayan Matale, a villager, hailed Sanjay Mathale as a hero. “Five girls were saved only because of the courage shown by Sanjay. He was the first one to venture into the water to save them.”
As news of the incident spread, other villagers too called Sanjay a hero. However, he believes that anyone would have done the same thing in that situation. “The real heros were those girls who fought to stay alive until help arrived. I am thankful for the courage and the strength that allowed me to help those girls. Anyone can be a hero when faced with unexpected challenges,” added Mathale.
Raja Zhori, another villager said, “The ambulance did not reach the spot in time and hence, we rushed the girls to the hospital on our motorbikes.”
However, Dr Swagat Rindhe, Medical Officer at Khanapur Primary Health Centre, denied allegations. “After we received a call, our ambulances immediately rushed to the spot and brought patients in 20 minutes,” he said.
