In the midst of the devastating floods, a volunteer sacrificed his own life to save a farmer who was on the verge of drowning. After rescuing the 61-year-old farmer who was swept away by the raging flood waters, the volunteer took off his own life jacket and gave it to him, saving the farmer’s life. But while trying to bring the farmer to safety, Rajes was himself swept away by the strong current. His body was recovered on Tuesday.
This heartbreaking incident occurred on August 1 near Kariangode River, close to Meenthulli Island in Kannur district, Kerala.
According to reports, R. Rajes, a resident of Kalliyur in Thiruvananthapuram, was a swimming instructor and a rappelling trainer. Rajes had volunteered in rescue operations during almost every major natural disaster in Kerala.
On August 1, Rajes first rescued 61-year-old Benny, a local resident, who was being swept away in the flood waters. He then took off the life jacket he was wearing and put it on Benny, trying to bring him to the shore. But at that moment, the strong river current swept Rajes away. After an extensive search, the rescue team recovered his body on Tuesday.
Rajes had also played an active role in rescue operations during the 2018 Kerala floods. He volunteered during the 2024 Wayanad landslide disaster and again during this year’s flood situation.
He is survived by his wife Lakshmi, two sons Arshan and Abhishek, and his parents Rajasekharan and Geeta.
Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan described the incident as deeply tragic and said Rajes’ courage, sacrifice and selfless commitment to humanity will always be remembered. He said, “To save the life of a person who was drowning, Rajes gave up his own life jacket and lost his life in the flood waters. His sacrifice and love for humanity will never be forgotten.”
Meanwhile, BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar also expressed grief, calling Rajes a true hero of Kerala. Chandrasekhar said Rajes’ courage and sacrifice during the 2018 floods, the 2024 Wayanad disaster and the 2026 floods will remain etched forever in Kerala’s history.
