Photo Courtesy: nenow
Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma visited the Bamun Pukhuri village home of 13-year-old Hridip Panika on Wednesday. The boy drowned in Sivasagar district while trying to save his pet dog, Borun, from rising floodwaters. The puppy survived the ordeal. The boy did not.
Hridip was a student living in Nazira. When the floods surged into their home, the teenager noticed the three-month-old puppy being pulled away by a strong current. He jumped into the water to save the animal he had raised since it was six weeks old. He succeeded, but the river swept him away. Search crews later recovered his body.
The Chief Minister handed over Rs 5 lakh in financial assistance to the parents, Deepak and Parbati Panika. He also promised to build them a new house. Sarma held the puppy in his arms to pay his respects to the late student. He offered blunt comfort to the grieving parents during his visit. "I can help you in every possible way. I will build your house and do everything I can, but I cannot bring your son back," Sarma said.
Hridip was the couple's only child. The family lost their home and all belongings to the floods. Neighbors and local groups continue to visit the residence to offer support. In a social media post, the Chief Minister noted that the boy's sacrifice reflected the deep connection between people and animals within Assamese culture. The tragedy has become a grim symbol of the human toll exacted by this year's devastating floods.
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