GEORGE TOWN: The 40-year-old Malaysian doctor who was swept away when trying to rescue his father in the Alaknanda River in Uttarakhand, India on Tuesday (Sept 24) is an excellent swimmer and diver, says his brother.
Dr Balraj Sethi's brother Suraj Sethi, 32, said they were both about 50m away from where their father Suresh Chandra, 67, a retiree, was swept away by strong currents.
"Both of us ran towards our father and without a second thought, my brother just jumped into the water to save my father.
"There were several bystanders there who were whistling and taking videos when this happened, while I ran back to get some help from the authorities in the area," he said in a telephone interview from India.
Dr Balraj - who is Novartis Malaysia's country medical director - has been missing for six days after heroically saving his father from drowning in the Alaknanda River
Although his father was rescued during the incident that happened during a family pilgrimage, Dr. Balraj is believed to have been carried away by the strong currents.
The Alaknanda River is located in the northern part of India, flowing through the state of Uttarakhand. It originates from the confluence of the Satopanth and Bhagirath Kharak glaciers near Badrinath, one of the holiest pilgrimage sites in India.
The Alaknanda is one of the two main headstreams of the Ganges River, meeting the Bhagirathi River at Devprayag to form the Ganges. The river is known for its strong currents and is a popular site for adventure activities like rafting.
Suraj, an aircraft maintenance technician, also said that the Indian police and the state disaster relief force personnel are carrying out search operations for Dr Balraj.
"They are only able to carry out searches on the ground during the 12 hours of daylight and the area is also too dangerous for anyone to risk going into the water," he said, adding that several private drone operators had also joined in the search.
The family has also appealed for more help to intensify the search.
"The local authorities have limited personnel and they have only promised us 10 days of an extensive search. That is why we are asking for more support and if more experts can help, then the search can cover a bigger area," he said.
He added that his father, who sustained minor bruises in the incident, was aware that Dr Balraj is missing.
"Both my parents are hopeful that my brother is safe and will be found," he said.
It was reported by online portals quoting Indian police that Dr Balraj landed in India on September 14 with his family for a 10-day pilgrimage.
After visiting three shrines, the family had arrived at the Badrinath Temple to complete their pilgrimage.
"Dr Balraj’s father had gone near the river to perform ‘tarpan’, a ritual during which water is offered to ancestors. When he ventured deep into the river, he was swept away by strong currents," the Indian police said.
Suresh was subsequently rescued by labourers in the area some 200m from where he was performing the ritual.
