Those 24 angels who will never return back!!!

1096th BLOG POST -->>

     

  On 9th June, 2014, 24 students of Jyothi Institute of Engineering and Technology situated in Hyderabad were washed away in River Beas at Himachal Pradesh where they were out for excursion. Some of them were getting themselves photographed on the banks of the river in Thalaut area near the Hanogi Mata temple when they were reportedly washed away as the flow in the river suddenly increased. I saw an interview of one of their classmates who said that almost half of his class disappeared in the incident. How tragic is that! 

      The news shocked away the whole nation. After few days, it's video got uploaded over the Internet which shows how water suddenly started flowing without giving time to those students to come out. The rescue operation started immediately after the incident and till now, only 6 bodies have been recovered. The team has informed that because of heavy rains, it has become more difficult to find the bodies of students. It has nearly become impossible for parents to get back bodies of their students even for the last riot to be performed. Parents were seen crying in front of the news cameras where some of them were saying how their only child got washed away and they are childless for rest of their lives. 

          Exactly an year ago, something much tragic than this happened at Kedarnath which took many lives and the local people who survived the incident are still not settled back to their normal lives. The incident washed away everything they had. Coming back to the River Beas incident, this is one of the common spots where colleges from all over the nation comes for Industrial Visit and enjoyment. On the name of Industrial Visit, colleges makes their students travel different spots and enjoy the photography session. It is said that the incident that has happened is less fault of students who were in the middle of the river but more of the officials who released the dam water without inspecting or informing the locals. A bell has to be rung before releasing the water but on that particular day, nothing of this sort of buzzer was heard. 

          Let the officials be at fault, but will those children come back? Will the parents get their lovely children back whom they nourished for last 18-20 years? Will the college ever get the confidence and trust in themselves to take their students for outing anytime in future? This incident shall always give goosebumps to people directly affected by it. This is where we, the youth, should take care rather than getting excited. As soon as we hear that friends are planning for an outing, a long drive, trip or camp, we, without asking our parent's consent, assure our presence. Recently, I read statuses that conveyed how my own classmates went on a long ride for some 200-250 kilometers in the rainy season. It's pretty exciting but its 10 times dangerous than that.

            My friends are always irritated at me because whenever they decide of going for a trip somewhere, I am the first one to raise my hand and say "No. I am not coming. All of you can carry on without me." And from the moment, the consoling and patoing starts but I don't get drowned in their words which suggests that I would be having one of the best moments of my life. I don't need it at the cost of my life. It looks exciting in movies like Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, Fugly and Pyaar Ka Punchnama that dudes and babes of our age goes for an exciting trip and brings back such memories that change their lives forever but in reality, you might enjoy and witness the same pleasure but there is always an equal probability of a tragedy waiting for you at the location you are most excited to get your photos clicked at. 

            When parents ask their children to not to go, they become enough rebellious to tell their parents how liberty has been snatched away from their lives because of their parent's protective nature. But they do not realize that parents see a better future for you than you yourself. They might seem as a foe at that point of time but understand that they have given you another life by not letting you travel miles away from home where you might become helpless because of strange situations arising. I went to Goa last December with my parents' consent and I must tell you, for all the 3 days that I was there, I was too scared to go even at beaches. At last my friends dragged me in still I made it sure that I am not going inside water that's above my waist-level. They laughed on me but I smiled at my confidence of reaching back home safely and healthily. 

           I am not blaming those 24 kids who are no more with us but I am asking all of you to take strong precautions before trying anything that's not mainstream. The students were getting their photographed clicked by standing in middle of the river. I agree that there was not even a hint of gallons of water coming to take them away but still, it was too unsafe to get into water without any safety measures. Those officials did the mistake but sufferance came into the lives of those parents for whom their children are just a memory now. 

          Friends, please take care of your lives. For fun and few photographs, don't leave your home without analyzing the whole spot and location. Control your excitement and wait for your family life to begin. Let little more maturity possess you before you possess over-confidence that you are enough grown up to take your care and survive the mightiest of the tragedies. You cannot. In front of nature, no human has any power. Remember this and I hope none of you will ever get carried away by the sweet words of your friends whenever they plan something adventurous and in their language, exciting and one-time-experience. I pray that at least bodies of those children are recovered for the sake of those helpless parents. May the soul rest in peace of each one of them. Hope no other person faces the same calamity. And hope officials are enough aware in future. 

 Thanks. 

 ABHILASH RUHELA - VEERU!!!