Woman jumps into water-filled pit, rescues family of 3 from drowning while bystanders record incident

Eyewitnesses said that several bystanders were recording the incident instead of offering help. (Representational image)

A 35-year-old woman jumped into a water-filled pit and rescued a government school teacher and his family from drowning after their car plunged into the pit in Dungarpur, police said on Wednesday.

The incident took place on Banswara-Dungarpur highway on Tuesday morning.

Nathulal Yadav, a government school teacher from Dungarpur, was travelling with his wife and 11-month-old son to attend a wedding when their car lost control near Hirota village and fell into a 10-ft-deep water pit, the police said.

Seeing the car sinking, Surta, who lives nearby, jumped into the water. With help from her daughter, Ayushi, and a neighbour, she first rescued the infant, followed by the couple.

Eyewitnesses said that several bystanders were recording the incident instead of offering help.

Surta said she heard a loud sound and ran out of her house. "By the time I reached the spot, the car was almost submerged with only its roof visible," she said.

She entered the water and tried to break the glass but could not. Her daughter and a neighbour also joined the effort, and the neighbour managed to break the window, despite injuring his hand in the process.

The couple was eventually pulled out from the car, with the man found unconscious when rescued.

Police reached the spot soon after, and the family was admitted to hospital for treatment.