Stephen, who has a passion for diving into the river, irrespective of its depth, is the favourite diver of the Kerala Police.
It has become a routine job for the 47-year old man to rescue people from the water and retrieve bodies.
He has retrieved around 25 bodies all alone, and rescued two persons. Stephen, a native of Chelamattom, complained that though he worked hard to help the police and the public the government has turned a blind eye towards him, and did not consider him for the bravery award. “I have done rescue operations at many places, such as Thodupuzha, Muvattupuzha, Angamaly and some places in Idukki District,” he said. “Stephen is good at his work, and he is dedicated and hardworking. Once he completes his job, we usually give him some compliments, which is the only reward he has received so far. So, it is high time that the government recognised his efforts,” said Perumbavoor Sub Inspector K G Jayakumaran Nair.
Heart-wrenching Scenes at Hospital
The mortuary of the Government Hospital, Perumbavoor, witnessed heartbreaking scenes. Relatives of the pilgrims who drowned in the Periyar near Kalady were seen sobbing uncontrollably. The 14-member group, all from Tamil Nadu, had come all the way from New Colony, Munnar, in three autorickshaws. Three of the deceased were autorikshaw drivers. Joseph, the fourth person who died in the accident, had just passed his SSLC examination.
His friends and relatives have arrived at the hospital, and are in a mood of disbelief.
Stephen, the diver who brought the bodies to the shore, said that anyone who ventures into the part of the river where the incident occurred will have a feeling that the water is very shallow.
“Though this is the first such incident here, similar incidents involving Malayattoor pilgrims have taken place at various other places,” he said.
In a separate incident, two pilgrims, including a twoand- half-year-old, were killed, and six others suffered injuries when the car in which they were travelling collided with a private bus at Kanjirakkad near Perumbavoor.