Bharathinagar:  This is the story of two toddler friends, one showing exemplary presence of mind and the other extraordinary power of survival that first caught the attention of everyone in their village and now has become centre stage.

The story unfolds on Nov.10 when a three-year-old who steps on cow dung goes to a nearby pond to wash it off, slips into the water and saved by her three-year-old friend.

The two are studying in an Anganwadi School and are close friends. The toddler who has survived is Reetha, daughter of Chandrashekar and Vinutha couple in Annuru village, near Malavalli in Mandya district. The other toddler, who with her presence of mind, saved her friend is Chandana, daughter of Ajit Kumar and Shilpa couple from the same village.

Incident: On Nov.10, both Reetha and Chandana went out in the evening to a nearby shop to buy some eatables. On their way back, Reetha stepped on the cow dung, which stuck to her chappals. She immediately went to a nearby pond close to her house and tried to wash the chappals. She has slipped and fallen into the water.

Chandana, who saw her friend falling into the water tried to save her by pulling her but as she failed, she immediately ran to her friend’s house and informs her (Reetha’s) father.

Reetha’s father thinking that it is a child’s prank, refuses to believe Chandana that his daughter had drowned. The three-year-old then runs to her father Ajit Kumar and informs him in the stuttering child’s language about her friend falling into the water. Luckily, he trusts his daughter and rushes to the pond.

As he steps into the water, Reetha’s body touches his feet. He immediately pulls her out. However, she has already gulped a lot of water and is unconscious. Meanwhile, Reetha’s parents on hearing about the incident reach the place and seeing the toddler unconscious and fearing the worst, they start crying.

However, Ajit Kumar, instead of wasting time tries to pump the water out from the mouth by administering first-aid. Then they have rushed Reetha to the hospital in Bharthinagar. Luckily, she has regained consciousness on the way to the hospital. Later, she is shifted to a hospital in Mandya for further treatment. After two days of treatment, she returns home escaping from the jaws of death.

Villagers, on learning about the incident, were praising Chandana for her presence of mind that saved her friend. On the other hand, though Reetha was in the water for almost 20 minutes before Ajitkumar came for her rescue, not too much of water had entered her body and that is how she could survive, said the villagers.

Both the farmers’ families heaved a sigh of relief and there was a joy all round in Annuru village with this pleasant turn of events.

Though there is a eight-feet deep pond in front of the children’s houses, it has not been fenced. The villagers expressed their displeasure with the Gram Panchayat officials for their negligent attitude. At least now, they hope that a proper action will be taken.

Bravery award

Gram Panchayat former President Chandrashekar speaking to Star of Mysore said that both the children Chandana and Reetha be recommended for bravery award as it falls under the category “meritorious acts of bravery against all odds.”