Sprint from class to save life ...Teen dives into pond to rescue child

Rumpa Pramanik,

Pranab Mondal, TT, Jul 26, 2018, Narayangarh: A Class XI student ran out of her classroom, scuttled across the playground and jumped into a pond to save a three-year-old boy from drowning in this pocket of West Midnapore on Tuesday morning.

Rumpa Pramanik, daughter of a poor farmer who also runs a telebhaja (fritters) shop, had glanced out of the window during the first period at school in Narayangarh, 220km from Calcutta, and noticed a toddler waddling towards the pond.

"I was busy following the English class. My seat is near the window. While taking notes, I looked out of the window and was surprised to see a child approaching the pond," the teen told The Telegraph over the phone.

"I was trying to ascertain whether anyone was with him. Suddenly, there was a splash and he was in the pond."

Rumpa didn't think twice. She bolted out of the class without asking permission. Even before the shocked teacher had stepped out to see what the problem was, Rumpa had covered the 50-odd metres to the pond.

"I was in my school uniform - a white sari with green border - and found it difficult to run as fast as I wanted. Still, I ran as though I was running for my life. As I reached the pond's edge, I could see two little hands flailing above the water," she said.

Rumpa dived in, grabbed the child's arm and swam slowly back to the banks.

"After I carried him out of the water, I was surprised to find it was Rahul, son of a neighbour. The boy seemed unconscious. By then, my teachers had gathered near the pond. Some local people too had rushed in," she said.

Sushanta Ojha, assistant headmaster of the school, Sarisha Kunapur Anchal High School, said he and his colleagues applied cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and turned the boy upside down.

"After a few minutes, he began moving his hands. He was taken to a local doctor, who advised immediate hospitalisation. The boy was admitted to a state-run health-care unit where his condition was stated to be stable," Ojha said.

Rahul's father Bidesh Singh, a day labourer, said the boy had caught a cold and strayed out of home while his mother was heating water to bathe him. "We are grateful to Rumpa; she has saved our only son," Singh said.

School authorities said they were proud of Rumpa. "We congratulated her in front of all the students," Ojha said.

Manik Sinha Mahapatra, the block development officer at Narayangarh, said he too had congratulated Rumpa. "She has set an example for all the students in her school," he said.
(Source & Courtesy: The Telegraph))