The Newz Radar
MANDI: The team of about a dozen young private divers who recovered the body of former Chennai Mayor Saidai Duraisamy’s son from the gushing waters of Satluj river in Kinnaur after eight days of search on Monday (February 12, 2024) have conducted more than 2,000 rescue operations so far.
The divers belong to Sundernagar in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh and have constituted a body, Mahunag Diving Association.
The former Chennai Mayor’s son Vetri Duraisamy had been missing after the Innova taxi he was travelling in along with his friend and the vehicle driver plunged into the Satluj in Kinnaur district last Sunday (February 4) evening. While Vetri’s friend Gopinath was flung out of the vehicle and sustained grave injuries, he and the driver remained trapped inside as it plunged into the Satluj. While the driver’s body was recovered from the submerged vehicle, Vetri was washed away by the gushing river waters.
Saidai Duraisamy had announced a reward of Rs 1 crore for anyone providing information on the whereabouts of his son. As days passed and there were no signs of his son, the former Mayor increased the reward to Rs 1.5 crore and also appealed to the Kinnaur district administration and the local residents for assistance.
Multiple agencies, including the Indian Navy, NDRF, SDRF, Home Guards and Uttarakhand diving teams, were mobilised to search for the missing youth in the treacherous waters of the Sutlej, but to no avail. The Mahunag Diving Association at Talwali in Sundernagar, renowned for their expertise in search and rescue operations across the state and region, was approached too.
It achieved success in recovering the body on Monday (February 12).
Led by Shiv Ram, the team, comprising Sant Ram, Tilak Raj, Shyam Lal, Mannu, Lakshman and Ghanshyam, embarked on a gruelling six-day search operation. Working tirelessly for 10 hours daily, they battled subzero temperatures and even reached the riverbed. They covered a 6-km distance downstream from the spot where the Innova had plunged into the river.
Speaking to TNR, Shiv Ram said his team members combed every inch of the target portion in the river, looking for the body with sticks between rocks and elsewhere. “It was a tough operation as the water was flowing in high speed. We braved freezing temperature. Starting our search from ground zero and pushing 6 km downstream, it was an arduous task, but we finally succeeded. More than money, it’s the closure that families get after the body’s recovery which soothes us. That’s more important,” he said in an exclusive conversation, praising his team’s dedication.
The Mahunag Diving Association divers belong to Jugahan and Talwadi villages of Sundernagar and have transformed their pastime of diving into rivers, canals and lakes into a well-established profession to save people falling into water bodies.
Venturing beyond mere recreation, these enthusiasts extended their limits, risking their lives to rescue distressed people or animals and persons without the aid of swimming equipment. They earlier used to be summoned by locals, police and the administration for various rescue operations and they would generously offer their services almost free of cost.
In 2010, an opportunity arose for them to receive training in rescue operations from then Sub-Divisional Magistrate Pankaj Rai in Sundernagar. Learning the intricacies of rescue operations, they formed the Mahunag Diving Association.
Shiv Ram’s team engages in search and rescue operations across various water bodies, addressing incidents from accidents in Chandra Tal lake to the Beas river. Beyond their local community, they are sought after in neighboring areas and across the entire state, offering not only diving expertise but also utilising funds for equipment procurement and maintenance.
Despite facing challenges such as navigating icy cold waters, murky ponds or dark depths, the association claims to have successfully recovered over 2,000 bodies and numerous animal carcasses from water bodies across the state. Charging a fee of Rs 30,000 per day for their services, the funds are reinvested into equipment and associated expenses.
These divers have in-depth knowledge of rivers across the state and were summoned by the district administration recently when teams of SDRF and NDRF failed to find out the bodies of two persons, who slipped into the Beas following a road rage incident, after two days of search operations. They succeeded in finding out the body of a Jalandhar tourist.
While rescue diving is acknowledged as one of the most risky professions, Shiv Ram laments the lack of recognition and credit for their substantial societal contributions. Despite their role in various incidents, the rescue divers received no awards and their efforts often went unnoticed, he said.
With over two decades of experience in rescuing people, Shiv Ram emphasised that their contentment lied in helping families find closure for their drowned loved ones. Expressing a desire for acknowledgment rather than additional rewards, he highlighted the need for credit to boost the morale of rescue divers who often operated without due recognition. He shared an incident where, despite efficiently completing a task for the administration and the police, they were not compensated, underscoring the challenges faced by these unsung heroes.
