September 30, 2009 was a normal day without having any major news assignments till evening when suddenly news flashing about a tourist boat with 76 tourists capsized in the deepest zone of Mullaperiyar dam reservoir in Periyar Wildlife Reserve at Thekkady which is about 200km from the southern Indian city of Kochi. Within 2 hours after the incident the death toll reached 27. I was panicked whether to go or not because it will take minimum 6 hours drive from Kochi. I immediately ranged my photo editor Vijay Mathur in Delhi and briefed him about the situation. He asked me to arrange some news pictures from any local photographer rather than going to Thekkady. I was lucky enough to get four news pictures within 1 hour time for the wire. By this time I enquired with some of my friends about the bus timing to Thekkady from Kochi. Again I spoke to Vijay and mentioned about the bus timing during the night, he asked me to get in touch with Adnan abidi who is the chief of photo department for India region for confirming my assignment and trip to Thekkady. Adnan asked me whether bus journey will be safe and he thanked me for arranging the news pictures from local photographer. Adnan gave me the permission to go ahead and wanted me to file the pictures before 12pm next day.
By 11pm I reached the Bus stand to catch the 12 am bus to Kumliy .Kumily is a small town 5 km ahead of Thekkady. The road to kumliy is not very good as there are so many curves and hairpins. Around 4 am I started vomiting which I don’t like at all. I was little bit tensed about the health and also about the photo opportunity at the spot where the boat capsized. Around 4-30am in the morning my cell phone started ringing I thought my mom must have called, but it was a call from my very good friend Anitha Menon. Spoke to her for few minutes which were big relief and don’t know how to thank her for that. By 6-10am the bus reached Kumily check in to my hotel near the bus stand for small refreshment.
By 6-45 am I am out of the hotel to catch a cab so as to reach the spot as soon as possible. By 7-15 I joined the media boat with a Member of Parliament accompanying us. By 7-35 we reached the spot where the tourist boat capsized. Divers from the Indian Navy searching for bodies near the capsized boat and officials from Police, Fire and Forest were helping the Indian Navy at the ground. After sending 1 hour at spot we some media team decided to return to town to file the first set of pictures.
By10-30 am the first sets of pictures were ready to file with detailed caption including the latest death toll figures received from the Police department.
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