Surat, 01 October - A harrowing incident turned miraculous when a 14-year-old boy, Lakhan, was saved by the remains of an immersed idol of Vighnaharta, after being pulled into the sea from Surat's Dumas beach. Having battled the tempestuous waves for a full day, Lakhan was rescued by fishermen from the Navdurga boat of Navsari. Emotions ran high as he was safely returned to Dholai port, where his father eagerly awaited him, eyes filled with tears of joy. Lakhan was promptly taken to a private hospital in Navsari for medical evaluation.
The ordeal began on 29 September when Lakhan, along with his brother Karan, sister Anjali, and grandmother Savitaben visited the Ambaji temple in Parlepoint, Surat. Post the visit, a leisurely stroll on Dumas beach took a nightmarish turn. Ignoring their grandmother's caution, the brothers ventured into the sea. Around midday, as the tide surged, they found themselves getting dragged deeper into the water. While onlookers managed to save Karan, Lakhan disappeared into the ocean, leaving his family distraught.
Despite the combined search efforts of local police, Surat Fire, and community leader Suresh Vaghela, Lakhan remained untraceable amidst the turbulent waves. His father, Vikas Devipujak, undeterred, stayed on the beach, clinging onto hope.
In a fortuitous twist, Rasik Tandel, a fisherman from Navsari's Bhat village, spotted Lakhan about 22 km off the Navsari coast. The boy was gripping the fragments of a broken Ganesha idol, seemingly safeguarded by the deity Vighnaharta. Rasik and his team immediately orchestrated a rescue, bringing the exhausted boy aboard. After offering him water, tea, and biscuits to recover, they contacted Marine Police to relay the fortunate news.
The reunion between father and son was deeply moving, with Vikas expressing profound gratitude towards the fishermen. Lakhan's condition is being closely monitored in the hospital, and arrangements to return him to his family are underway.
