WB: Infant survives miraculously, saved by villagers in the nick of time

The child was saved just in the nick of time by villagers as the tub it was in was heading towards the confluence of the Ganges and the river Koshi where the strong current would have made her survival nearly impossible.

Malda (West Bengal): Durga Puja is over but it seemed that the blessings of the goddess were with an infant who had a miraculous escape from the jaws of death on Friday. The 15-day-old-girl child was rescued by villagers from the middle of the Ganges just in the nick of time.

The incident took place in the Naya Bilaimari village in Ratua block of Malda district. A few residents of the village were having a casual chat in the morning sitting on the banks of the Ganges. Suddenly they noticed something like a plastic balloon floating in the river.

They leaped to their feet when they heard the sound of a child crying coming from the object. The villagers immediately realized that the child was in grave danger as the current was carrying the child toward the nearby confluence of the Ganges and the river Koshi where the strong current would have made her survival nearly impossible.

" Then we started to run along the banks to ensure we don't lose sight of the child. We had to act fast. So we took a boat and rescued the child from the middle of the Ganges, just minutes before the child was about to reach the confluence of Ganges and Koshi," said Mohammad Akmal Hossain, a resident of the village.

The child was exhausted and crying due to the scorching sun. A large crowd gathered at the spot when the news about the child's miraculous escape spread. Officials of the Ratua Police Station arrived at the spot and took the child to the police station. After being fed milk, the child was sent to the Malda Medical College for treatment.

Hospital officials said that the child was completely healthy and did not suffer any injuries during her perilous voyage. As to where the child came from, the villagers are saying that she may have come from Bihar.

"Today the residents of Naya Bilaimari village rescued a baby girl from the Ganga river. The child was floating in the river in a plastic tub. The approximately 15-day-old baby has been admitted to Malda Medical College for treatment. An investigation is underway as to how the child ended up in the river.” Superintendent of Police Pradeep Kumar Yadav said.