Cops turn saviours, rescue 23 Medaram devotees

Warangal: Cops turned Good Samaritans by helping out 23 devotees, including four children who were stranded on the other side of the overflowing Dayyalavagu near Project Nagar in Pasra Police Station limits in Mulugu district on Wednesday.

Have the cops not responded in time, it would have been a disaster for the devotees who were on their way back after offering prayers at Sammakka Saralamma shrine at Medaram. The devotees, who headed back to their destination in cars, got stuck in floodwaters midway passing through a causeway.

It's learnt that they failed to notice the ever-raising flood. Though those behind the wheels tried their best to get past the overflowing causeway, their cars stuck with the floodwaters entering the engines.

With no way out, the devotees sought the solace of the police by dialling 100 explaining their situation to the authorities. Following which Mulugu DSP J Vijaya Saradhi was alerted and he along with Pasra Inspector A Srinivas, Sub-Inspector M Mahender, four apiece CRPF and fire department personnel rushed to the spot.

With the help of life jackets, ropes, lifebuoy rings, they pulled the devotees out of floodwaters. Inspector A Srinivas got into floodwaters to pick up children. The devotees who breathed a sigh of relief thanked the police for saving their lives.

On the other hand, the vehicles that stranded in floodwaters are yet to be pulled out. The police arranged vehicles to send the devotees to their destination. Mulugu Superintendent of Police Sangram Singh G Patil said that five of the devotees are from Armoor, 17 are from Warangal and one is from Pasra.

Meanwhile, Cheekupally stream, source of Bogatha waterfalls, is overflowing due to incessant rains in upstream Chhattisgarh forest region. With the viewing area at Bogatha waterfalls is overwhelmed by floodwaters, the forest department closed it for the tourists.

The authorities appealed to people not to turn to waterfalls for at least a couple of days, it's learnt. In Mangapet mandal, the Narasimhasagar project was filled to its capacity of 28 feet. Several roads disconnected due to overflowing of streams and rivulets in Mangapet mandal.