Madhya Pradesh rains: A 19-year-old son of a former Madhya Pradesh minister and two other people were safely rescued hours after the Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) they were travelling in got washed away in a swollen river in Indore during an attempt to cross a submerged culvert, police said today (September 16).
The incident occurred on Friday (September 15), and the former minister Ranjana Baghel's son Yash was found holding on to a tree branch in the middle of the Choral River before being rescued, they said. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Umakant Choudhary said the incident took place around 45 km away from the district headquarters.
"Former state minister Ranjana Baghel's son Yash, Tejas (24) and a person named Mallya were travelling in the SUV at the time of the incident. Although the culvert on the swollen Choral River was underwater, an attempt was made by them to cross it," he said.
As soon as the information about the accident was received at around 10:00 pm, a team of police personnel reached the spot and all three of them were rescued with the help of villagers, Choudhary said.
"Baghel's son Yash knows how to swim, but he got trapped in the strong current of the river. He somehow managed to catch hold of a tree branch. We rescued him by throwing a rope towards him after multiple attempts," he said.
Meanwhile, life in Indore city was severely hit due to water-logging following heavy rains since Friday evening. Indore District Collector Ilayaraja T said that people living in low-lying areas of the city are being shifted to safer places.
A holiday has been declared for all schools in the district on Saturday due to heavy rains, he said. Deputy Director of Meteorological Department VPS Chandel said that 171 mm (6.73 inches) of rainfall was recorded in Indore city in 24 hours ending 8:30 am on Saturday.
There is a prediction of very heavy rainfall in the city on Saturday (September 16), he said.
(With PTI inputs)
ALSO READ: Madhya Pradesh govt to provide gas cylinder at Rs 450 to PMUY consumers, 'Ladli Behna'
ALSO READ: Madhya Pradesh: Helicopter's emergency landing video goes viral due to SHO's anchoring | WATCH