Two war heroes of 3rd Battalion of Gajaba Regiment rescue a child from death
In spite of grave risks, posed to their own lives, two War Heroes of the 3 Gajaba Regiment-Mankulam, in what could be considered as an adventure of the highest nature and incredibility, rescued the precious life of the one and half year old infant, Sivakumar Sindujan who fell into an agrarian well (vaga linda) of 25 ft deep in the general area of Mankulam in Kilinochchi, hours after the International Children\'s Day was over in the area.\r\n\r\nIt all happened as 3 Gajaba Regiment troops upon completion of the Children\'s Day programmes on the previous day, were cleaning up the area, but the two soldiers, Corporal M. Vijitha Perera and Corporal D. M Leelaratne, both fathers, were unexpectedly shattered by the sudden weeping screams of a woman, in close proximity, prompting them to rush to the scene and learn what exactly had gone wrong. The family\'s idol has accidentally fallen into the nearby well, now filled with water, but no help appeared forthcoming.\r\n\r\nAlerting to the need, both above-mentioned soldiers at first tried to go down into the well with the support of the available rope of the bucket, but they miserably failed. As time was fast running Corporal M. Vijitha Perera, apparently emotionally touched, being himself a father of two infants, dived impetuously into the well in a second to rescue the drowning infant while his other workmate was outside the well, throwing the rope in.\r\n\r\nCorporal Perera after tracing the unconscious infant from the bottom, managed to come up from 15ft high water level and immediately began frantic efforts at resuscitation, simultaneously holding the infant in one hand and the hanging rope from the other which was incredibly challenging and arduous, although the efforts appeared inadequate and less successful.\r\n\r\nImpatient and excited Corporal Leelaratne outside, without thinking twice for his own life momentarily, dived next into the well, to help resuscitating efforts of his colleague, holding on to the rope and the baby. While swimming inside, they held the baby aloft and managed to resuscitate the infant with full force as that has been taught in the Army training without losing hopes while the mother was crying out aloud while neighbours began flocking.\r\n\r\nTo the amazement and redress of everyone, all efforts of both valiant War Heroes however bore fruits and succeeded in resurrecting the partly dead infant as the baby, due to intense first-aid, suddenly began to cry soon after water was drained from the baby\'s body. Thus the precious life was saved, thanks to the timely and heroic acts of those two War Heroes, performed with presence of mind. Desperate parents extended profuse thanks to the soldiers and talked high of their adventure and the rescue mission with respect.\r\n\r\nOn hearing their bravery, Major General Sudantha Ranasinghe, Commander, Security Force Headquarters - Kilinochchi summoned them to his office on Tuesday (7) and appreciated their exemplary act risking own lives. Two mementos plus special recommendations were awarded to those soldiers on the same occasion. 574 Brigade Commander, 3 Gajaba Regiment Commanding Officer and a few more officers were present at the occasion.\r\n\r\n
