Two teenage girls from Jalpaiguri will receive the Birangana (Brave Girl) Award conferred by the West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights (WBCPCR) on the occasion of International Child Rights Day for saving toddler from drowning in the Teesta river.
The Jalpaiguri district administration has received official confirmation that Class IX students Mallika Pal and Poulomi Kirtania would be honoured. The girls and their families have been informed.
The event will take place on November 20 at Durgakinkar Sadan of Malda College.
On June 30, when the rain-fed Teesta river had swelled, friends Mallika and Poulomi, who are residents of Marichbari near the Teesta bridge in the Mainaguri block of Jalpaiguri, were sitting and chatting by the riverbank.
Suddenly, they heard a splash. Turning around, they noticed a woman hurrying away after throwing something into the river.
Moments later, they heard a baby crying. Without a second thought, both girls jumped into the swollen Teesta, fighting strong currents to rescue an 18-month-old boy, whom they brought safely ashore.
As the news spread, police reached the spot. Probe revealed that the woman had a fight with her husband over money and threw her own son into the river.
The bravery of Mallika and Poulami earned praise from across society. “On International Child Rights Day (November 20), the WBCPCR will confer the ‘Birangana’ Award on the two girls from our district. It is a matter of pride, and we have informed them and their families," said Sudip Bhadra, the district child protection officer of Jalpaiguri.
Every year, boys and girls who have shown acts of bravery receive the “Birpurush” (Brave Boy) and “Birangana” (Brave Girl) awards. This year, the list has 34 names, including Poulomi and Mallika.