Fast flowing stream swept away Naveen
45-yr-old electrician was the sole breadwinner for his family
CCTV images retrieved on Monday showed the last moments of Nadibokkula Naveen Babu, who was washed away in a fast-flowing stream of rainwater into the Saroornagar lake at around 7 pm on Sunday.
Babu, a 45-year-old electrician, is seen struggling to find a foothold as he stands in neck-deep water as water flows swiftly at Tapovan Colony. Even as others standing nearby try to help him, he loses his footing and the current carries him away.
Babu is seen desperately trying to wade ashore but the water carries him away into the deeper part of the Saroornagar lake.
Officials said Babu was trying to help a two-wheeler cross the stream of water at Tapovan Colony that had increased in intensity due to rains.
Family sources said that Babu used to earn about `98,000 annually and was the sole breadwinner for his family comprising his wife Shalini, and daughters Harshita, 12, and Tejaswi 10, who are studying in a government residential school in Keesara.
TV channels began telecasting the news of Babu going missing in the lake on Sunday night but identified him as Naveen Kumar.
Shalini, Babu’s wife, said, “Though I was watching television news, the reports were naming Naveen Kumar. I was hoping that my husband would be somewhere safe.” She got the news at 11 pm that the missing man was Babu.
“When he went out, he said had to attend to emergency electrical repair work. He never returned. Who will take care of my daughters,” she said.
Babu’s family accused the government and the GHMC of apathy for not fencing the lake despite several reminders from the residents in the colony. They said if the fencing had been erected, Babu could have been saved.
A relative of Babu, who did not want to be identified, said the NDRF members were ill-trained and not ready to step into the lake to search the victim. “If the experts in disaster management could not act swiftly, who will? The NDRF members said they cannot enter the water due to the sludge.”
“Who is to be blamed now? The GHMC, state government or the NDRF teams for not acting immediately? It is state murder and we will go to any extent to ensure such incidents are not repeated,” he said. While GHMC authorities said that the government would announce some relief to the family after scrutinising Babu’s post-mortem report, revenue officials said a final call will be taken by the higher authorities.