Kerala CM Pays Tribute to Rescue Hero Who Gave His Life Saving Flood Victim

Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Wednesday paid tribute to R Rajesh, a veteran swimming instructor and rescue volunteer who lost his life after saving a man from floodwaters in Kannur. Calling his death heartbreaking, the Chief Minister said Rajesh's courage and selfless service would always be remembered.

The incident took place on August 1 near Meenthully Island in Pulingome, where the Kariangode River was swollen after heavy rain. A 61 year old local resident, Benny, was swept away by the strong current. Rajesh managed to rescue him but then made a life changing decision. He took off his own life jacket and gave it to Benny before trying to swim back to the shore.

Without the jacket, Rajesh was caught in the fast moving river and disappeared. His body was recovered on Tuesday after a three day search operation carried out by Fire and Rescue Services, disaster response teams and local volunteers.

In a post on X, Satheesan said Rajesh had always stepped forward whenever Kerala faced a disaster. He had worked as a volunteer during the 2018 Kerala floods, the 2024 Wayanad landslide, and the ongoing 2026 floods. The Chief Minister said Rajesh's ultimate sacrifice showed his deep love for humanity.

BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar also paid tribute, calling Rajesh a hero who never hesitated to answer the call of duty. He expressed condolences to Rajesh's wife Lekshmi, sons Arshan and Abhishek, and his parents Rajasekharan and Geetha.

Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan also mourned Rajesh's death after his body was recovered.

Rajesh's final act of giving away the very life jacket that could have saved him has touched people across Kerala. While tributes continue to pour in, there has been no official announcement yet on compensation or state honours for the rescue volunteer.