Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Wednesday paid tribute to a swimming instructor who lost his life while saving a man caught in the flood near Meenthully Island in Kannur district on August 1.
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The swimming instructor, R Rajesh, gave his own life jacket to the person he had just rescued from the swollen Kariangode river there, a decision that ultimately cost him his life.
Rajesh got caught in the current of the swollen Kariangode river while leading 61-year-old Benny, a local resident who got swept away in the flood waters, back to shore. His body was recovered on Tuesday.
Terming the incident as heartbreaking, Satheesan said Rajesh was a dedicated responder who had previously volunteered during past Kerala floods and the Wayanad disaster.
"Rajesh gave away his own life jacket to save a drowning person in Kannur’s Pulingome before succumbing to the floodwaters. His ultimate sacrifice and selfless love for humanity will forever be remembered. Deepest condolences to his family, friends, and loved ones. His courage lives on," the CM said in an 'X' post.
BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar also condoled the death of Rajesh, a native of Thiruvananthapuram.
Chandrasekhar, the BJP MLA from Nemom constituency, said that Rajesh was a hero of the 2018 floods, the 2024 Wayanad disaster and the 2026 floods.
"R Rajesh of Kalliyoor, Thiruvananthapuram, was a rescue volunteer and rappelling instructor who answered the call of duty whenever Kerala needed him. He stepped forward during the 2018 floods. He was among the rescuers during the Wayanad landslide tragedy in 2024. And in 2026, he made the ultimate sacrifice.
"His courage, selflessness and sacrifice will forever be a part of Kerala's story. My deepest condolences to his wife Lekshmi, his two young sons Arshan and Abhishek, his parents Rajasekharan and Geetha, and all those who loved him. I pray that his family finds the strength to bear this immeasurable loss," the BJP leader said in an 'X' post.
Leader of the Opposition in state assembly Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday condoled the swimming instructor's death.
(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)
