Noida miracle: Tea vendor’s daughter falls into 15ft water trap — Veer Singh jumps in, rescues her

NOIDA: True to his name, Veer Singh did not hesitate for a moment. When cries of "bachao-bachao" pierced the afternoon air outside ATS Pristine society in Sector 150, the 45-year-old farmer enjoying a cup of tea nearby became the embodiment of courage.With no thought for his own safety, Veer leapt into a 20-foot-deep drain, determined to save a three-year-old girl fighting for her life below. Thus began a tense, half-hour struggle that would grip the entire neighbourhood.Singh, according to police, lives in a village near Sector 150, though his exact address remains unclear. The drama unfolded around noon on Friday, when Bijli, a 25-year-old tea vendor, handed her daughter Anushka a toy while tending to customers.

Moments later, the child tumbled into the uncovered drain as her mother looked the other way.

"Veer didn't hesitate for a second. He jumped straight in after hearing the girl's cries and managed to lift her out of the water after about half an hour," a police officer said. Guards from the nearby society rushed to help, and together, they pulled Veer and the frightened toddler to safety.Rajesh Kumar, who stood nearby, was witness to the frantic rescue.

"The drain was filled with water up to 15ft. There was a real risk of both the toddler and the man drowning. People tried to help by lowering a wooden ladder, but with wet hands and a terrified child in arms, it was almost impossible for Veer to hold on. Another ladder was brought from the other side, but even reaching it was a struggle," he said.For 30 agonising minutes, the scene was a blur of panic and hope. "The mother's screams, the crowd's anxiety, and Veer's sheer determination - it was a battle against exhaustion.

But through it all, the farmer did not lose courage even for a bit," Kumar said.The guards threw down a rope, which Veer managed to wrap around himself and the ladder. Locals joined in, pulling the rope as Veer emerged from the drain, Anushka clinging to him.The crowd broke into an applause as the two finally reached to safety, many among them recording the final moments. "The girl was shaken, but alive," a witness said.By the time police arrived, Veer had quietly left, but his heroism became the talking point. "We found out about him from people who were there and the girl's parents," said Chetan Chaudhary, sub-inspector for the area.The incident reignited concerns over the open drain, which residents said poses a constant danger, especially to children and the elderly. Calls for the drain to be covered, they said, had elicited little response from the authorities, they alleged.Yet, the responsibility for the drain's safety was mired in bureaucracy. Officials at Noida Authority said the road and drain fell under the jurisdiction of the irrigation department, which had built it originally.The irrigation department, however, denied responsibility. "The main Noida drain along Pushta Road is surrounded by shrubs and is 20 metres wide. Children are unlikely to reach it," an official claimed.SDM (Sadar) Ashutosh Gupta, however, told TOI, "The drain in the video is under the jurisdiction of Noida Authority, not the irrigation department."(with inputs from Ashni Dhaor)