Kendrapada: Odisha police playing a good Samaritan taking extra efforts to save lives as a part of its drive to shift the people from disaster-prone areas to safer locations. Cyclone Fani that created havoc in many parts of the state a few days ago would have taken a heavy toll on human lives as well. Relief and rescue operations started by Kendrapada Police 24 hours before the Fani landfall on May 3 saved around one lakh lives overnight.
The hard work by state police to persuade and relocate people to safer zones and government shelters paid off with least impact as to human casualties even as Fani that had landfall with a speed of 200 Kmph caused massive devastation otherwise.
The cyclone had completely devastated the infrastructure of the state capital Bhubaneshwar and pilgrimage city Puri. Many houses were destroyed and communication connectivity was shattered to the hilt.
However, Kendrapada Police had already started their pre-emptive relief operations in a massive way. This was done in the leadership of Talchua Marine Police Station IIC (Inspector Incharge), Srikant Kumar Barik. Barik's team members managed to save many lives in whatever way could by shifting around one lakh people overnight. They exhausted their own means to save lives as constable Pritismita Parida was shifting people to the safe places on her bike with utmost urgency during the landfall.
The video of IIC carrying a small kid in his shoulder and Pritismita shifting people to safer places later went viral in social media.
Talking to ETV Bharat, the IIC said that he only performed his duty and successfully relocated residents from vulnerable areas. "Around 2000 residents were rescued by our team member team," he added.
Kendrapada Superintendent of Police, Niti Shekhar praised their work and promised that they will be awarded suitably. He added that they had very less time and had to use all available manpower to relocate nearly one lakh residents overnight.
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