UP govt gifts a boat to man for rescuing newborn baby girl from Ganga river

Ghazipur (Uttar Pradesh): Boatman Gullu Chaudhary, who had rescued a 21-day-old girl child from a wooden box floating in the Ganga River in Ghazipur district, earlier this week, will be gifted a boat by the state government.

Besides, he will also be given benefits of other schemes as per his eligibility.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Wednesday, announced that the state government will bear the cost of the child’s nurturing and provide benefits of government schemes to the rescuer.

District Magistrate Ghazipur M.P. Singh, along with officials, visited Chaudhary at his house near Dadri Ghat of Ghazipur on Thursday to know his details.

Divisional Commissioner Deepak Agrawal said, “District Magistrate Ghazipur personally enquired about the financial condition of Chaudhary. It has been found that he owns a house. Therefore, he has not been found eligible for benefit under the housing scheme. As it also came to light that he operates the boat of some other persons to earn livelihood, the administration has decided to recommend that he be given a boat.”

On his part, Chaudhary sought construction of a “pucca” (concrete) road up to his house and was assured by the officials that the matter would be taken up soon.

The approach road is in a dilapidated condition and the officials had to call Chaudhary to meet them at a temple campus near Dadri Ghat.

The boatman had found a wooden box floating in the Ganga at Dadri Ghat under the limits of the Kotwali police station.

When he opened the box, he found a baby lying inside it. The box was decorated with red cloth and photos of Goddess Durga and Lord Vishnu while a horoscope containing date and time of her birth was found inside. The girl’s waist was tied with a “chunari” (stole).

The baby has been sent to the special neonatal care unit of the Government Women’s Hospital and legal formalities, as per Juvenile Justice Act, are being done.