Saviour Boy

A brave 11-year-old jumps into a raging river to rescue his family

- Naorem Anuja

EVERY MONSOON, rains flood Assam with unfailing regularity, claiming loved ones, homes and livelihoods. This year was no exception. Heavy showers throughout India’s north-east regions caused the Brahmaputra to swell, leaving chaos in its wake.

On 5 September 2018, at around 1 p.m., 11-year-old Kamal Krishna Das stood patiently with his mother, Jitumoni Das and aunt, Meenakshi Das, on a ferry crossing the river. His grandmother was on her way to a pilgrimage and they had gone to south Guwahati to see her off. They were now headed home, located on the northern bank of the river, with little idea that their journey was about to turn into a terrifying misadventure.

The ferry—carrying 28 people— was unusually slow that day. Still, passengers did not give it much thought, until they noticed the smoke. Terrified, they raised an alarm, but the operators assured them that everyone was safe. Mildly reassured, everyone fell back as the ferry moved on.

Halfway through the trip, the boat suddenly stopped. The operators still insisted that there was nothing to worry about: It was simply a case of trash jamming the engine. The passengers, already agitated by the smoke, felt fear setting in, and with the mounting panic, came anger. People began hurling abuse at the ferry operators, while others made frantic calls to loved ones. Kamal’s mum phoned his dad, and after a few words, handed it over to Kamal.