A video of a policeman carrying two children on his shoulders to rescue them from floodwaters in Gujarat has gone viral on the social media.
The video, shot at Kalyanpur village in Morbi district, shows constable Pruthviraj Jadeja carrying two girls on his shoulders and wading through swirling flood waters, and has been seen by more than 12,000 people.
According to reports, Tankara Police Station officials launched a rescue operation after they heard that 42 people, including 17 children, had been stuck in Kalyanpur village after water level started rising there.
Jadeja was part of the rescue team and walked for over 1.5 kms carrying two of them on his shoulders, despite an injury to his leg.
Social media users lauded the policeman for his act of bravery. Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani also hailed him and tweeted: "A man in uniform on duty...!! Police Constable Shri Pruthvirajsinh Jadeja is one of the many examples of hard work, determination and dedication of government officials executing duty in adverse situations. Do appreciate their commitment."
However, Jadega played down his heroism. "The situation was such that there was no time to think. People had to be rescued at any cost. So I carried both the children on my shoulders. What we have done is just perform our duty," he said.
Indo-Asian News Service