Bhubaneswar: In a dramatic rescue operation, a man stranded for nearly 24 hours on a rock in the middle of the Sabari River, along the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border, was airlifted to safety on Monday.
The man, identified as Irma Sodhi, a resident of Kotamateru village under Malkangiri police limits.
According to reports, Irma had travelled to Telawarti village in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district for daily wage work. While returning home in a traditional wooden boat, the vessel capsized midstream after water entered it.
With no help in sight, Irma clung to a submerged tree branch through the night, braving the river’s strong currents. At daybreak, he managed to climb onto a nearby rock, where he remained stranded.
Local villagers spotted him the next morning and alerted the Malkangiri police and fire services. Upon receiving the information, the Malkangiri police and fire services coordinated with their counterparts in Chhattisgarh. The Sukma police then informed CRPF personnel, who contacted the Indian Air Force.
A rescue helicopter was dispatched from Jagdalpur and Irma was successfully airlifted from the river. He was admitted to the district hospital in Sukma and is reported to be in stable condition. Doctors said he will be discharged after full recovery.
