Police honour ‘real heroes’

TURA, Oct 6: Four young men from Nongchram village were the first responders to arrive at the site of the gruesome bus accident over Nongchram bridge last week that killed as many as eight people and left over 15 others seriously injured, helping to rescue most of the injured before any proper rescue force could arrive at the site.
On Wednesday, these four brave men — Sengrik D Sangma, Nilbath D Sangma, Walgrik M Momin and Jinjas D Marak — were felicitated by Meghalaya Police for their heroic acts that helped save many of the critically injured by getting them out of the damaged bus for medical treatment.
Almost all 16 injured passengers were brought out by these four young men who, throwing caution to the winds, plunged into the water to rescue the passengers in spite of the dangers posed by the strong water currents.
“The work done by them is worthy of praise. We salute them!” stated Meghalaya Police. The four men were felicitated with certificates and a token cash award by East Garo Hills Superintendent of Police, Bruno A Sangma, at the latter’s office chamber during the day.
The recognition of the four brave souls has been welcomed by the families of those who lost their loved ones or had been left critically injured in that accident.
There has been much criticism from eyewitnesses at the scene and even affected families over the claims put up by other rescue groups, notably the state disaster rescue force and the police.
The SDRF had even gone to the extent of issuing a press statement highlighting their “rescue efforts” during the accident.
“We were at the accident site for an entire day and night awaiting the retrieval of our son’s body. We witnessed it all. It wasn’t the state rescue forces or police but the sheer dedication and hard work put in by the villagers of Nongchram that the injured could be brought out early and the bodies of those who perished retrieved. These boys are the real heroes!” clarified the father and brother of 25-year-old Larsen M Marak from Chedikgre, Williamnagar, who perished in that tragedy.
Larsen’s was the last body to be retrieved from the mangled remains of the bus.