5 people rescued from the powerful water currents of the Veda in the Kamodwada culvert

Bhikangaon (Madhya Pradesh): In a remarkable show of courage and quick action late on Friday evening, the powerful currents of the Veda River at the Kamodwada culvert saved the lives of five people. The timely intervention of local police and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) averted what could have been a tragedy, especially after the death of a young man due to an earlier sudden release of water.

Those rescued included Raju, 52, a resident of Aurangpura in Khargone; Lokendra, 32, resident of Sanawad; Nitesh, 24, resident of Balgaon, Nagjhiri; Vaibhav, 21, a resident of Seenkheda and Nitin, 23, a resident of Seenkheda village.

Around 2 a.m., everyone was returning from a Katha event in Abhapuri with loudspeakers when their vehicle encountered raging water caused by heavy rains and subsequent release of water from the Upper Veda dam. When they tried to drive through the culvert, the vehicle became stuck in the middle and could not move forward or backward against the downpour, putting passengers in mortal danger.

After receiving the call, a team led by Bhikangaon police station superintendent Rameshwar Thakur quickly reached the spot. Recognizing the urgency of the incident, the police called the SDRF team, which immediately joined the rescue operation.

Led by SDRF team in-charge Shivprasad UEK, the rescue operation began with the help of local residents and JCB. Battling floodwaters and strong currents, the team managed to safely rescue all five people trapped in the vehicle.

As former BJP president Vijay Patel pointed out, there have been several accidents at the Kamodwada culvert. Last month, a young man drowned in the same area due to dangerous conditions created by rain and resulting leaks from the dam. Patel stressed the urgent need to build a safer culvert and called for immediate safety measures to prevent future accidents, especially during the monsoon season.