65-year-old woman, swept away by Damodar river, rescued 45 km downstream in Bengal

In what locals described as a miraculous escape, a 65-year-old woman, who was swept away by the swollen Damodar river, was rescued nearly 45 km downstream in West Bengal, police said.

The incident took place at Jakta village in the Rayna area in Purba Bardhaman district, when the elderly woman was swept away as the river was in spate due to heavy rains and water discharge from dams of the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC), a senior officer said.

"Maturi Tudu had gone to bathe in the Damodar river alone. She was swept away due to strong currents following DVC's water release and rains," he said.

With the combined efforts of the police and villagers, she was rescued 45-50 km downstream and was taken to Jamalpur Rural Hospital, where doctors said she had fallen ill after being in the water for a prolonged period, the officer said.

Later, she was shifted to Burdwan Medical College and Hospital for further treatment.

"I went to bathe in the river on Sunday afternoon and was swept away. I somehow managed to hold onto something until villagers rescued me," Tudu said.

Jamalpur Block Trinamool Congress president Mehemud Khan said, "The elderly woman was later handed over to her family after police confirmed her identity. She survived purely by luck."