A Mumabi Cop Emerges As The New Hero On Social Media For His Fire Rescue Act

In 1945, F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote in Notebook E, “Show me a hero and I’ll write you a tragedy.” When tragedy struck in the form of a pub fire that claimed 14 people assembled on rooftop pub in Kamala Mills premises to celebrate a birthday on Thursday night, a hero emerged carrying a semi-conscious, soot-covered woman on his shoulder.

In the photo, Constable Sudarhsan Shinde is seen rushing out from the 1 Above resto-pub, where the fire broke out, by carrying the injured woman on his shoulders. The woman with burn marks on her body looked lying unconscious on his shoulders. But, Shinde looked strong, brave and compassionate.

Later, speaking to media, Shinde said he had entered the pub’s top floor along with the firefighters who broke open the exit door of the pub. As soon as he entered there, he saw the woman lying there. He picked her up on his shoulders as they didn’t have a stretcher and rushed out to rescue her.

The fire killed at least 14 people and left 19 injured. Shinde was one of the first to reach the spot and managed to pull out three bodies even before the stretchers arrived. According to a report by DNA, eyewitnesses said he climbed up seven floors each time to bring down the bodies.

Many on social media have hailed Shinde’s action as something “beyond the realm of his duty”. The Mumbai Police Commissioner has honoured him with an award. “Nothing can compensate the loss of lives in the #KamlaMillsFire but PC Sudarshan Shinde’s efforts to evacuate victims & save lives, deserves being commended (sic),” the Commissioner stated.

Recalling the tragic moment, Shinde told DNA newspaper that he could see only one woman coughing referring to the woman seen in the picture that has now become famous. “The rest, I believe, may have died of suffocation,” he said.

He told the Indian Express that he realised that the steps of the emergency exit had become slippery when he was walking out from the pub with the woman on his shoulder. “I remember every step I took, because I knew that if I fell, I would end up hurting her more,” he said, as quoted by the Indian Express.“While I was moving people from the spot to a safe distance, I noticed that some people stuck on the roof were calling for help using their mobile’s torchlights,” he recalled.

However, tragically, the woman whom Shinde rescued could not survive. She died on the way to hospital.

Shinde told DNA that the woman had even waved to her friends while being taken to the ambulance singnalling that she was fine.