A road named for courage: Navy sailor who died saving mother & child honoured

Palakkad: More than a decade after Navy sailor Vishnu Unni sacrificed his life while saving a mother and her seven-month-old daughter from the Kochi backwaters, a road in his native Thrithala grama panchayat has been named ‘Navikan Vishnu Road’ in tribute to his bravery. The road, a portion of which was newly constructed, was inaugurated by MLA V T Balram on Sunday.

On Oct 3, 2014, Vishnu (24), who was undergoing training at INS Dronacharya in Kochi, jumped into Vembanad Lake after seeing a woman throw her daughter from Venduruthy Bridge and then leap into the water herself. Without hesitation, he dived in to rescue them. He managed to bring the mother and child to safety but was swept away by the strong current. While the woman survived, the child later died in hospital. Police said the mother had been suffering from depression over her daughter’s suspected ailment and had attempted suicide.

A TOI report dated Oct 4, 2014, stated that the incident occurred around 1pm when Vishnu and his colleague, Arun Krishnan, were passing by on a motorcycle. “It was their holiday and they were headed to a theatre. There were several others present on the bridge, but they were hesitant to jump into the water because of the strong undercurrent. All of them raised an alarm to attract a police patrolling team, but in vain,” a Navy officer had told TOI.

“The woman first threw the child into the backwaters. On seeing this, Vishnu stopped his motorcycle and handed his helmet to Arun, who was also a sailor. Vishnu couldn’t stop the woman from jumping off the bridge. Like a true hero, he jumped in after her and swam through the backwaters for around 200 metres carrying the mother and child. He managed to haul both of them to a Cochin Shipyard patrol boat but was soon swept away before he could get hold of the safety devices thrown by the boat crew,” an eyewitness had said.

The Navy carried out a six-month-long search for Vishnu, but his body was never recovered. For his family, the loss remained particularly painful as they were never able to bring him home for a final farewell. Vishnu’s father, Unnikrishnan, an ex-serviceman, died last year without getting a final glimpse of his son, while his mother, Prabhayani, and sister, Vinaya, are still living with his memories.

In recognition of his sacrifice and courage, he was posthumously awarded the Jeevan Raksha Padak and the Nao Sena Medal for Gallantry. The Navy also honoured Vishnu by naming a trainee sailors’ accommodation block at INS Dronacharya ‘Vishnu’. The building was inaugurated by his parents in 2019.

Thrithala grama panchayat completed the construction and renovation of the road in his name with financial support from the family of the late Aziz Master of Paurathodi, which bore most of the construction cost. At the inauguration function, MLA Balram said, “We are proud to dedicate a road in Vishnu’s name. The memory of sailor Vishnu, who gave his life while trying to save others, will never fade.”

P T Moideenkutty, a member of the Paurathodi family and a businessman based in Qatar, said the family was happy to contribute to preserving Vishnu’s memory.

For the people of Thrithala, the newly inaugurated road is more than just a stretch of concrete. It will serve as a lasting tribute to the brave sailor who laid down his life in an act of extraordinary courage and selflessness.