Prime Minister's Police Medal for Life Saving-2011

Thekkady is a world famous international tourist destination. Boating in Periyar lake is the main attraction of Thekkady. On September 30th 2009, it was 5.05 PM, Inspector of Police, Kumily, Shri. Anil Sreenivas got information that a tourist boat was sinking in Periyar lake. So immediately he along with maximum police personnel rushed on the police Jeep to the boat landing.

Meanwhile on police jeep the Inspector informed the higher-ups and also made light arrangements for the rescue operation as it was night setting in.

From the boat landing station the police party lead by Inspector, SCPOs 1689 Pappan K, 1876 KM Saidu Muhammed, CPOs 2272 Pradeep Kumar R, 2740 Suresh D,3046 Dinesan M.K,2638 Josekumar S rushed on the Police boat to the accident spot where the boat had turned turtle. It took around 15 minutes to reach the accident place named Manakkavala. With no time to waste, Inspector along with CPO Dinesan changed the uniform and swam to the capsized boat. It was inclement weather with raining and the climate was extremely cold with the water in the freezing point. Initially they could break the front glass of the boat by sinking into the water and rescued a woman. They could reach inside the boat only through the water and the side open windows of the boat. They took one after another in a few minutes saving 5 lives. The victims were fighting for the last breath in the air gap of the hull area of the sunken boat. The rescued persons were immediately shifted to the police boat where the other members of police party had given first aid including artificial respiration to the victims. It was not only the inclement weather but the oil and diesel that spread on the chilled water also made the rescue so difficult as the victims often slip from their hands. The police party did not have life jackets, buoys or oxygen cylinders while undertaking the rescue work in the water where it is a deepest area of the lake. The sharp edged tree stumps in the lake also hindered the rescue work. They were not bothered about the injuries sustained on their body by hitting on the sharp edged wooden stumps.

The initial mobilization of police and immediate rescue work in testing time helped in reducing the impact in one of the worst boat tragedies in Kerala in which 45 persons expired and 37 persons escaped.