A Muslim cleric in Assam is being hailed as a hero after he used a mosque microphone at dawn to alert an entire village, helping save seven people trapped in a sinking vehicle.
The incident took place in Sribhumi district early Tuesday when a vehicle lost control on the National Highway, skidded off the road and plunged into a pond. The passengers were asleep, the windows were shut, and the vehicle began sinking rapidly.
Hearing a loud crash in the quiet of the early morning, Imam Abdul Basit rushed outside and saw headlights glowing from beneath the water. Realising the danger, he immediately used the mosque loudspeaker to warn villagers and appeal for urgent help.
“I saw the lights of the car under the water and knew we had to act immediately,” Basit said.
Within minutes, residents from the neighbourhood ran to the pond, jumped into the cold water, broke the car’s windows and pulled all seven passengers out before the vehicle submerged completely. The rescued passengers were from the Hindu community and were travelling from Silchar to Tripura.
Local cleric Maulana Abdul Hafeez praised Basit’s quick thinking. “This is a true message of humanity,” he said.
Basit said he acted instinctively. “We did not think about religion or anything else. The priority was to save lives,” he said.
The rescue has been widely appreciated in the area. Iqbal, a local BJP leader, visited Basit to thank him, and police officials have said they will recommend that he be formally honoured.
