Kozhikode: In a rarely heard incident in Kerala a buffalo was rescued from sea by a group of fishermen in the dead of the night. It was spotted about 8 km off the coast by A T Firoz, an experienced fisherman, and his two friends who had ventured out into the sea from the shores near Nainam Valappu and Kothi in Kozhikode district.
At around 2 am while Firoz and his friends A T Sakeer and T P Fuwad were spreading out their net, they heard an unusual sound. When they looked in that direction using the torch, they found the buffalo struggling to stay afloat.
Though they knew that rescuing the buffalo would mean abandoning the day’s fishing, they didn't feel like allowing the animal to drown in the sea. They pulled back the net and put it in another fishing vessel 'Arafshda' and began the rescue operation.
But the rescue effort was not that easy. Out of fear the buffalo was moving farther away. They called out for help to A T Razi and Dilshad who were fishing on a boat nearby.
Razi jumped into the sea along with a rope and after a strenuous effort managed to tie the buffalo with a boat. In order to ensure that the buffalo didn't drown, they also tied empty tin boxes around it.
Thereafter, they pulled the fishing boat slowly and brought it ashore. It took hours before they reached the shore at Nainamvalappu at around 8 in the morning.
Though the fishermen lost the income for the day, the five members of the rescue team were relieved that they could bring the buffalo alive to the shore.
By evening the buffalo was returned to its owner who is a resident of Kuttichira. The owner said that the buffalo which was tied near the shore had broken the rope and ran towards the sea the previous night.
