Cuttack: OTV cameraman Prabhat Sinha was discharged from SCB Medical College and Hospital on Monday, three days after the boat mishap in Mahanadi in which senior journalist Arindam Das and ODRAF jawan Sitaram Murmu were killed.
“It is due to the grace of God and the people’s blessings that I got a new lease of life and returning home. But I will never be relieved of the pain of losing Arindam Bhai. We used to move together to cover major stories. But God saved me and took him away. The pain of losing him is unbearable,” Sinha told mediapersons after his discharge from the hospital.
Narrating the incident that took place on the Friday afternoon, the cameraman said only God knows how he escaped alive.
“After the ODRAF boat capsized near the barrage, I remained under the boat for a long time and tried my best to come out. No one can say when there will be a misfortune. We have worked at more dangerous places. But we did not know that we will meet such an incident. If destiny is written, it would surely happen. As we do not know our destiny, we will continue with our work,” he added.
Also Read: Mundali Boat Mishap: Body Of ODRAF Jawan Arrives At Native Village In Odisha’s Mayurbhanj
The tragic incident took place when five ODRAF personnel accompanied by the chief reporter of OTV, Arindam Das and cameraman Prabhat Sinha had gone on a mission in a powerboat to rescue a tusker that was stuck under Mundali barrage.
However, while trying to push the tusker to the river bank, the powerboat overturned. While four ODRAF jawans and the cameraman were rescued by the ODRAF jawans through a rope ladder, Arindam and the ODRAF jawan Sitaram drowned.
The body of Arindam was recovered from the river a few hours later, the body of Sitaram was recovered a day later at Mahalapada Gumei Sahi of Kakhadi panchayat in Athagarh block in Cuttack district.
Also Read: [Watch] TV Journalist Arindam Das Dies During Tusker Rescue Ops In Mahanadi
