A Madhya Pradesh Home Minister who had gone to rescue persons stranded in a flooded region of the state became stuck himself and had to be evacuated.
During an inspection of the flood-ravaged Datia region, State Home Minister Narottam Mishra discovered nine persons stuck on a roof surrounded by water. Except for the patio, the home was entirely flooded. Mr. Mishra is a member of the Legislative Assembly representing the same district.
Despite heavy gusts and turbulent water, Mr. Mishra, who was in a State Disaster Response Force boat with several aid workers, was able to approach the victims after seeing them.
A tree fell on the boat just as the minister was about to finalize plans for rescuing the stranded passengers, and the motor couldn’t start, according to an official.
Mr Mishra sent signals to government officials, and an Indian Air Force chopper was dispatched to rescue him and nine others, according to the official.
The minister first made sure that all of the trapped individuals were evacuated, and then the IAF troops lowered a rope to securely bring Mr. Mishra up.
The minister, dressed in a white kurta and black jacket, can be seen firmly grasping the rescue line thrown from the hovering chopper and swinging in the wind.
Mr. Mishra has visited a number of flood-affected villages in Datia district to supervise rescue operations and relief camps.
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has also surveyed some flood-hit areas. “Two bridges in Datia district collapsed due to flooding. A crack emerged on a bridge over National Highway 3, so it has been closed as a precaution,” Mr. Chouhan said.
Congress criticized the incident as a publicity stunt gone wrong. “The way our Home Minister tried to act like Spiderman was dangerous for himself, the stranded people, and those who had gone with him. It was only a publicity stunt that went wrong,” slammed Congress leader Bhupendra Gupta.
