A 7-year-old boy's quick thinking saved a 30-year-old man from drowning in Kalwa creek on Tuesday. The boy spotted the man struggling in the water and promptly alerted nearby traffic police and passing fire brigade officials, triggering a swift rescue operation.
Incident Details
The incident occurred around 11 am near the new Kalwa bridge. Varun Nikate, who lives with his migrant parents from Nashik beneath the bridge, noticed a man repeatedly going under the water. Sensing something was wrong, the boy ran to the nearby Rabodi traffic police chowky and alerted the officers, whom he affectionately calls "police kakas."
"The boy is known to our staff as he stays under the bridge with his family. As soon as he informed us, our personnel swung into action," said Police Inspector Yuvraj Sarnobat of the Rabodi Traffic Division.
Rescue Operation
Traffic personnel Sangram Sonawane, Kailas Patil, Palve, and Mahendra Patil immediately flagged down a passing fire brigade vehicle and sought assistance. Fire officer Sandeep Kadam and driver Ganesh Gawari rushed to the spot and jumped into the creek without hesitation.
Meanwhile, support from the Thane Nagar Police and the Regional Disaster Management Cell (RDMC) arrived, and the firefighters rescued the man within minutes, said Yasin Tadvi, in charge of the Thane RDMC. The rescued man was identified as Naushad Mehrum, 30. During questioning, he told police that he had entered the creek after misjudging the water depth. Preliminary inquiries suggested he was not in a stable mental condition, and he was later handed over to the Thane Nagar Police.
Recognition
Thane Mayor Sharmila Pimpalolkar and Municipal Commissioner Saurabh Rao praised the coordinated rescue efforts. Young Varun found himself at the center of attention, receiving praise from police personnel, who are now considering rewarding him for his alertness and timely action.
