CANACONA: A major tragedy was averted as a drunk driver misses highway and reaches dead end at Galgibaga river.
A multi-axle truck (KA-19-AA-6831), driven by a highly intoxicated driver, mistook the ferry road and instead of taking a turn at Mashem Voltar, went towards the river. Alert villagers, however, stopped the truck in time and prevented it from entering the river.
The incident happened at about 10.00 pm on Monday.
Social activist Vishant Prabhu speaking to Herald said that the drunk driver missed the national highway at Mashem Voltar and headed straight to the Mashem ferry road not aware that the road leads to the unguarded Galgibaga river.
Luckily for him two local boys angling at that time at the ferry wharf raised an alarm and stopped the truck when he was just about to take the truck into the river.
“On checking the situation we found the driver intoxicated. At this point the alert villagers removed the keys from the ignition of the truck sensing that if allowed he was capable of reversing and putting his and others’ lives at risk,” Vishant said.
A video shot on his mobile of the entire episode which went viral in the taluka clearly shows that the driver who was not in a position to stand on his feet, grabbing few hundred-rupee notes and offering them to the boy who had taken his keys to return them.
Later the locals appreciated the lad who showed great character and presence of mind to save the truck and the driver from falling in the river. They praised the lad’s presence of mind in removing the key from the ignition, sources said.
