A teenage girl named Fidha, 16, went missing on Friday, August 9, 2024, after allegedly falling into a river near the old Chanthapalam bridge in Nettoor, Kochi, at approximately 6:15 a.m. Fidha, a Plus One student, had gone to dispose of food waste from the previous day when the incident occurred. It is believed that while trying to avoid the knee-deep slush in the river, she lost her balance and fell into the water.
According to eyewitnesses, her mother, Mumtaz, was trailing a short distance behind and saw her daughter fall into the river. Mumtaz’s desperate cries for help alerted her husband, Firoz Khan, and neighbors. Mumtaz recounted that she saw Fidha being swept away by the strong currents. Acting swiftly, Firoz jumped into the river and swam a considerable distance in an attempt to rescue his daughter but was unable to locate her. Another neighbor also joined the search but had to retreat due to the powerful currents.
Currently, a scuba team from the Fire and Rescue Services is conducting an intensive search operation to find the missing girl, with police officials also on-site assisting in the efforts. Firoz Khan, the family’s breadwinner as a fish vendor, and his family, originally from Nilambur in Malappuram, had relocated to a rented home along the riverbank in Nettoor, Kochi, six months ago.
The community remains in shock as search operations continue in the hopes of locating Fidha. The family, deeply distressed, are clinging to hope as rescuers scour the river. The incident underscores the dangers posed by the river currents and the risks faced by local residents in their daily lives.
Original Story https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/teenage-girl-goes-missing-in-river-in-kerala/article68504449.ece
Category : Kerala
Tags:
