Traffic cop's alertness helps save 8 babies

Kolkata: A Kolkata Police sergeant rushed inside a private nursing home on Diamond Harbour Road that had caught fire and managed to save eight newborn babies, risking his own life.

Following the incident, the Kolkata Police uploaded a post on social networking site on Saturday morning acknowledging the valour of traffic sergeant Krishna Das who is currently posted at Diamond Harbour Traffic Guard.

Police said a fire broke out at the main gate of Diamond View Nursing Home at around 11.35 am causing immense panic to mothers who had just given birth on Friday or the day before. The fire soon spread to an adjacent building where coaching classes were being held. Das rushed to the spot, doused the flame and rescued eight newborn infants and their panic-stricken mothers one after another. He eventually brought them downstairs and out in the open. Das also managed to get hold of a car to shift the mothers and their babies to another hospital. He also stopped an empty ambulance and made the driver ferry the other patients. By the time he sent the rescued victims to another hospital, a team of police officers from Diamond Harbour Traffic Guard arrived.

They also helped students at the coaching centre to come out safely. No injuries have been reported. Fire officials brought the situation under control. A probe has been initiated. The preparedness and timely intervention of the police officer averted a major incident.