Bihar: 69 Devotees Rescued from Flooded River in Valmiki Tiger Reserve

Bettiah: In a dramatic rescue operation on Sunday evening, 69 devotees narrowly escaped drowning after being caught in a sudden flood while crossing the Sonha River (Tamsa) in the Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR) in West Champaran district, Bihar.

The devotees, who were returning from a visit to the Valmiki Ashram in Chitwan, Nepal, were saved by the prompt action of Jawans from the 21st Battalion of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).

The group of devotees, which included 31 men, 29 women, and 9 children, began their journey back from the Valmiki Ashram around 6 PM. As they attempted to cross the Sonha River, which flows through the dense forest of VTR, they were suddenly met with a fierce and rising current due to heavy rainfall upstream in Nepal. The unexpected floodwaters quickly overwhelmed the group, causing them to struggle in the fast-moving water.

Four groups of devotees, led by Sandeep Kumar from Maharajganj (Uttar Pradesh), Neeraj Gupta from Gopalganj (Bihar), Sanjeev Kumar from Motihari (Bihar), and Ghughli Mahato from Narkatiaganj (West Champaran, Bihar), were caught in the river’s treacherous currents. Desperate to save themselves, they attempted to reach the riverbanks, but the strong current made it nearly impossible.

The situation took a turn for the better when Jawans from the 21st Battalion SSB, stationed nearby, were alerted to the emergency. Under the leadership of Company Commander Chandramani Methai, along with inspectors Pranav Sonwal, Manoj Kumar, Gautam Kumar, and Nepal APF Inspector Kunjan Chaudhary, the soldiers sprang into action. Demonstrating remarkable bravery, they formed a human chain and used available resources to pull the stranded devotees to safety.

After two hours of intense efforts, all 69 devotees were successfully rescued from the raging river. The relieved devotees expressed their deep gratitude to the SSB soldiers and the Nepal APF personnel for their timely intervention, which saved their lives.

The details of the rescued devotees are as follows:
1. Neeraj Gupta and his group of six devotees from Gopalganj, Bihar.
2. Ghughli Mahato and his group of 40 devotees from Sahodara, Narkatiaganj, Bettiah, Bihar.
3. Sandeep Kumar and his group of four devotees from Maharajganj, Uttar Pradesh.
4. Sanjeev Kumar and his group of 16 devotees from Motihari, Bihar.