Siliguri, 6 September : A middle-aged man named Mohammed Mukhtar, a resident of Siliguri, found himself clinging to a tree throughout the entire night when the Teesta River swelled up on Tuesday night at Melli, West Bengal. Mr. Mukhtar, who lived in Rangpo with his wife and three children (one son and two daughters), his wife had been to to her hometown in Bihar on that fateful night when the Teesta River suddenly overflowed, causing his house to collapse.
In a desperate bid to survive, Mohammed Mukhtar managed to climb a tree and hold onto one of its branches. Tragically, his three children were swept away by the raging floodwaters. The grieving father had to witness this heart-wrenching tragedy unfold before his eyes. He clung to the tree, holding on for dear life throughout the night.
When morning came, rescuers finally managed to reach him. They pulled him to safety, but the search for his two missing daughters continued. Sadly, they could not be located. Mr. Mukhtar’s son’s lifeless body was discovered in the morning, adding to the family’s immense grief and loss.
Report by Uma Sha
