A TRUE HERO
Singh Happy With Noble Act, Rues Labourer’s Death TIMES NEWS NETWORK New Delhi:
Would you risk your life for a stranger? The thought did not even cross 20-year-old Happy Singh’s mind as he jumped into a 12-ft ditch in Malviya Nagar to save the life of a labourer working on a sewer line there.
On Wednesday morning, Singh was at home when he heard a commotion of men screaming and women crying for help.
Said Singh: ‘‘When I heard everyone shouting that a boy had fallen into the pit, I just jumped into it. I didn’t even have the time to think of the consequences. If someone is in need of help, how can you turn your back on him? I did just what I would expect anyone to do for me, if I was in such a situation.’’
Singh, who stays with his parents in H-block, helps out in the family’s jewellery business. Residents of the area said that this was not the first time that the 20-year-old had risked his life for a stranger.
As Satyapal Gulati, RWA president of the area, pointed out: ‘‘There was an accident in our colony sometime back. Happy was the first one to pitch in with help. He rushed the injured boy to the hospital. We are all very proud of him. Very few people would have the courage to risk their lives like this.’’
Singh, who suffered minor bruises while trying to rescue 20-year-old Ashok Kumar, has just one regret that the labourer could not be saved. Once inside the pit, Singh had started out by digging the mud under which Kumar lay buried.
He was helped by the policemen, who came 15 minutes later, and the fire fighters who had by then arrived at the scene.
Said Singh: ‘‘I am just sad that I couldn’t do more for the labourer and Kumar passed away. It is unfortunate that no lessons are learnt by government agencies even as people continue to get hurt by falling into open ditches. A few days ago, another labourer had fallen into the pit and hurt himself.’’
toireporter@timesgroup.com