Mumbai: Noon nullah rescue keeps Andheri East on edge

The woman gave her name as Suman

There was drama and heroics on Thursday at Sahar Junction, Andheri East when a woman was rescued from a nullah. She had fallen into the (Post and Telegraph) PNT Sahar Road nullah, near the Sahar junction signal. Nicholas Almeida, a local, said, "I was riding my bike towards the petrol pump, on Sahar Road, it was early afternoon. There is a major nullah located there. The Metro 3 Sahar station work is on, so sludge and cement falls into the nullah. Suddenly, I saw a crowd gather at a spot near the nullah, their voices raised."

Nicholas Almeida said he decided to take a risk and get into the nullah to rescue the woman

No waiting
Almeida parked his bike and went to check. The social worker, as he calls himself, saw policemen and some security guards, all looking at a woman who seemed to have fallen into the nullah. Almeida said, "There were other people too, and some karyakartas of a local youth organisation. The police told me that they had alerted the fire brigade. I decided not to wait, as I saw the woman quite desperate and panicky in the nullah. The water did not seem too deep but the cement-sludge was weighing her down."

The rescue
Almeida descended into the nullah with the help of a ladder, which is usually kept near this site. He said, "I went in the nullah and got stuck in the sludge which was upto four-feet deep. I reached out to the woman, who seemed to be flailing, and gasping for breath. Social worker Bunty Sangle and some young men helped me. Once the woman was brought to the ladder, they descended to a certain height and then hauled her out. The police who were watching all this then took her to Cooper Hospital. I decided to take a risk, because we could not wait for the fire brigade personnel. I am just happy to have been able to help. This is a plea that officials in charge need to clear the cement from the Metro station work choking the nullah/drain."

The clean-up
V D Sharma, station-in-charge of Mumbai Metro 3 line, package No 6, (different sections of the Metro are divided into ‘packages' in technical lingo) insisted, "We have been cleaning the nullah regularly. If we get any complaints, we immediately deploy manpower and ensure that site cleanliness and safety is maintained. In fact, we have been extremely prompt in removing the cement-sludge from the work."

Sangle, Andheri East resident, who aided Almeida in the rescue said, "As a local, I knew there was a ladder placed at the spot. It is used by personnel to descend into the nullah for cleaning it. I am unsure whether this woman fell in or jumped inside. I am just relieved she is safe."

Pratibha Patil, assistant police inspector (API) Sahar airport police station said, "After the woman was rescued, we took her to the hospital and then to the police station. There were no injuries, but she seemed a little disoriented and traumatised. She was unable to give us her name, address or information about any family. A doctor at the Cooper Hospital said she does not seem to have any mental ailment.

After much coaxing after a day, she told us that her name was Suman. She is also very incoherent, and we are unsure of the lingo she is speaking. We will look for a shelter or sanstha for her."