CHENNAI: A jacket till the waist on top of khakhi, and swim shorts below the waist is not what you expect an assistant commisioner of police (ACP) to wear while maintaining law and order. But this was MKB Nagar ACP K Paranthaman garb while on a rescue boat he managed to press into service to bail out the denizens trapped in neck deep water, thanks to the overflowing Cooum river in MKB Nagar.
Paranthaman said they began rescues with Pulianthope DCP R Sudhakar who accompanied several sorties before going to the next location to check efforts under his jurisdiction.
Rajeswari, a resident of Mullai Nagar said she was neck deep in water when she was pulled into the boat while trying to wade to Bharathi Nagar. “We were stranded since Tuesday night when the water level began to rise. We left every household appliance and saved a set of clothes,” she said. Residents of Mullai Nagar, Annai Indra Nagar, Nesavalar Colony, MGR Nagar and Damodaran Nagar had similar experiences.
At least 10,000 persons are believed to have been stranded and boats will continue efforts. The overflowing Kodungaiyur canal cut off access to Thiruvotriyur where thousands more were believed to be stranded.