PANGIN, Nov 10: The Pamuk Welfare Society (PWS) has urged the state government to recommend Kokong Tamuk, who recently saved five persons from drowning in the Siang river, for the national bravery award.
It may be recalled that on Tuesday, Kokong had saved his co-passengers from drowning in the river after the boat they were travelling on developed a technical snag mid-river. Kokong jumped into the river, got hold of the boat’s rope, and pulled the boat safely to the bank.
PWS president Tageng Tamuk and general secretary Anand Dupak, who along with others met Kokong at his home in Pangi village in Siang district after the incident, said Kokong’s courageous act “really deserves state as well as national bravery awards.”
Narrating the incident, Kokong said: “I could have saved myself, had I been selfish. But seeing my co-passengers, who were all minors and old, I decided to jump into the river and save them.
“I succeeded in diving onto the river bank after three to four attempts,” he added.
Meanwhile, Pangi village secretary Talem Darang also urged the authority concerned to initiate steps to confer a bravery award on Kokong.
“We really appreciate the act he has done. Without him, we could have missed six lives at one go,” Darang said.
