In a chilling tale of human endurance, a 62-year-old man from Bhopal fought for his life through a freezing night by clinging to a concrete pillar in a lake after a terrifying fall from an elevated corridor.
A Terrifying Plunge into Darkness
The incident occurred at Lakha Banjara Lake in Sagar. The victim, Harprasad Raikwar, a resident of the Sadar area, stated that around 11:30 pm on Tuesday, he was standing on the elevated corridor overlooking the water body. In a shocking turn of events, he claims an unidentified person pushed him from behind, sending him plummeting into the dark waters below.
Raikwar immediately screamed for help, but his cries echoed in a deserted area with no one to hear. With the steep sides of the lake offering no escape, he faced a dire situation in the cold night.
A Desperate Battle for Survival
Displaying remarkable presence of mind and fortitude, Raikwar managed to grab onto a pillar that supported the very corridor he had fallen from. For the next several hours, he engaged in a grueling battle against exhaustion and hypothermia, using every ounce of his strength to keep his head above water and maintain his grip on the concrete lifeline.
His harrowing ordeal finally ended at daybreak on Wednesday. A security guard on a routine patrol spotted the elderly man still desperately hanging onto the pillar. The guard quickly raised an alarm, and with the help of others, used a boat to reach Raikwar and pull the completely exhausted survivor to safety.
Rescue, Recovery, and Investigation
The rescued man was rushed for a medical examination and treatment. Doctors confirmed that while he was in a state of extreme weakness and shock from the prolonged exposure, he was out of immediate danger. After receiving necessary care, he was later sent home to recover.
Meanwhile, the police have initiated an investigation into the entire episode. A key part of their probe is verifying Raikwar's claim that he was deliberately pushed into the lake. Authorities are scanning CCTV footage from nearby areas to identify if anyone else was present on the corridor at the time of the incident and to piece together the sequence of events that led to the near-tragedy.
