Hyderabad: C. Khetan Kumar, one of the survivors, did not get space on the rock where the 24 victims were stationed. So he jumped on to another rock where nine of his friends were clicking photographs.
Luckily, the trip in charge Kiran requested him to take his photograph. So Khetan moved ahead, facing the water flow. When the force of the water increased, Khetan and nine of his friends rushed to the banks. However, before they could alert their friends, the water swept them away. Deceased Banothu Rambabu from Nalgonda, whose body was the second to be identified, was swept away with Macharla Akhil, M. Vishnuvardhan Reddy and M. Sivaprakash Varma.
“The locals didn’t warn us, but said many tourists visit this site. Those who went to take photographs, were clicking pictures for just 10 minutes. On one single rock, 24 people were stationed and 15 were standing near the edge where I jumped. While I was clicking photographs, I felt the water level rising. Within seconds they were swept away. All of them screamed for help, but we could not save them as the current was strong. The whole night we recalled their scream,” Khetan said.
(Read: Himachal Pradesh cops couldn’t call dam staff)
Another survivor Venkat Sai Srikar, of Kagaj Nagar, Adilabad, could not join his friends to take photos as his slipper was spoiled. He was mending it in the bus. He was to join his friends to click in the waters, but the straps of his slippers came off as he was about to get down. He stayed back in the bus to repair the torn sandals, which in turn, saved his life.
The survivors praised their friend Ashish Mantha, who managed to save two lives before he was swept away in the river.
The survivors also spoke in glowing terms about their friend Ashish Mantha, one of those who drowned. Ashish Mantha (20), a resident of Chilakalaguda has lost his father a year ago. This is double whammy for his mother, who is inconsolable.
Ashish's friends call him a brave heart as before drowning he saved two lives.
