'Hare Krishna Mahamantra Gave Me Strength...' What Did the Survivor Say After His Rescue?

Kathamandu: Amidst the devastation caused by floods in Nepal, such stories are now emerging which give goosebumps. The story of Sanjay Sah, who was stuck in the tunnel of Trishuli-3A Hydropower Project for about 10 days, is also similar. On Friday, Nepali Army, Armed Police and foreign rescue team finally pulled him out alive.

Who remained trapped in the tunnel for 10 days?

Sanjay Sah, a resident of Saptari, is a mechanical foreman in this project. He was on duty in the control room on the day of the accident. The safety of the people was also his responsibility. It is said that with the sudden flood, debris started entering the tunnel and everything went wrong.

How did they get trapped in the process of saving others?

Sanjay says that he first asked the people present there to get out. He himself was about to leave, but a lot of time passed while taking others out. By the time he ran outside, water and debris had blocked the way. They got stuck inside the tunnel. At that time there were 40-45 people in the tunnel, whereas on normal days there is only one operator and 4-5 people in the control room.

How did you maintain your courage in the dark tunnel for 10 days?

It was not easy to stay in the dark for 10 days. Sanjay says that he continuously chanted mantras to give himself courage. Kept chanting and remained hopeful that the rescue team would definitely reach one day. There were some other people inside too with whom we could talk through voice. Sanjay fears that the tunnel is very long, some people may still be trapped in the other corner. Going further inside was also not free from danger due to the strong current.

Who else was saved along with Sanjay?

Along with Sanjay, Kabir Maharjan of Kathmandu was also taken out on Friday. Kabir also worked on the same project. When Kabir returned, his family heaved a sigh of relief. His wife Heera Shobha said that it was as if her husband had got a second birth.

How did the family wait for these 10 days?

Heera says that Kabir has been working in Trishuli-3A for the last 7 years. The last call was at 7:30 am on Wednesday, after which there was flood and contact was lost. The family were waiting for several days and were not even able to eat or drink properly. But the family was confident that they would be safe inside and would return. This rescue on Friday morning has given great relief to two families.