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Policeman jumps into tank to save drowning youth
A quick-thinking Ampara police constable saved a youth from drowning while he was swimming in a tank.
PC Nishantha
Sergeant S M Kulathissa and police constable A M.A Nishantha were on duty last Saturday in the vicinity when they heard people shouting for help from the bund of the tank close by.
When they ran to the spot they saw someone struggling in the water about 15 metres away from the bank.
Immediately, PC Nishanha removed his weapon handed it over to sergeant Kulathissa, removed his shoes and jumped into the lake in his uniform. By this time about 20 people had gathered at the bund.
According to Nishantha the victim was not fully conscious.
He dived deep into the water and tried to push him up. But as the water was about 25 feet deep his efforts were not successful.
In a second he emerged from the water and started pulling the drowning youth by his trouser and brought him ashore. With the help of Sergeant Kulathissa they gave him CPR and rushed him to Ampara Hospital.
The youth after he was rescued
PC Nisahntha recounting the incident said, “We heard people shouting and ran towards the tank. People were shouting out to the drowning youth and telling him to hold tight to the fishing rods. He was about 15 metres away from the bund at that time. I knew I didn’t have any time to lose.
“A week before we underwent a training on disaster management and were shown how to save a drowning person. I am very happy that I could save a life,” he said.
The youth who was saved was 20 year-old R. Sanganath from Matara.
“I was bathing and thought I’ll swim a little further. I don’t know what happened all at once, but I vaguely remember a police officer pulling me. If not for him I would not be living today. I am very grateful to him for saving my life,” a happy Sanganath said.
The area in the tank where the youth nearly drowned