Assam boy dies saving puppy from floodwaters

Guwahati: Hridip Panika, a 13-year-old student, died while trying to save his puppy from floodwaters in Bamun Pukhuri village under Nazira. The Class 7 student at a local Model School saw his three-month-old puppy, Borun, swept away by the current. He jumped into the water to rescue the animal. The puppy lived. Hridip did not.

His body was found after a search. Parents Deepak and Parbati Panika lost their home and belongings to the rising floods before losing their only son. Social media footage of the grieving couple with the rescued puppy has triggered a massive response across Assam. Neighbors recall Hridip as a compassionate boy. One report noted, "Hridip's story has become a poignant reminder that behind every disaster statistic lies a family forever changed."

Local residents, social workers, and various organizations are now helping the family. Despite this, the loss remains total for the Panikas. The state continues to face one of its most severe flood seasons in recent history.