Mathew, Vilangad’s martyr, saved 40 lives on fateful night

Vilangad landslip hero, Kalathinkal K.A. Mathew, sacrificed his life to save 40 people, deserving National Bravery Award.

The landslip that took place at Vilangad on July 30 is one of the few of its kind with minimal casualty. If not for Kalathinkal K.A. Mathew who lost his life amid the rescue operations at midnight, several people could have lost their lives.

“He saved many of us. But, we could not save him,” said Antony K.A., one of the survivors.

Mathew, who retired as headmaster from Government Lower Primary School at Kumbalachola, was a well-respected and loved person in the locality. On that fateful night, Mathew left home around midnight to rescue people at Manajakkunnu, after the first landslip, which was a low-impact one. His timely intervention saved at least 40 people whose houses disappeared in the next landslip at the spot.

The rescue operation had come to an end and everyone was ushered to safety. Mathew was sitting on the wall of a shop building. He could not come out of it as the area around the building was suddenly covered in mud.

“People threw him a rope and asked him to come out of the place. But as he set foot outside, one of his legs got stuck in the mud. He said he would wait until the water subsided to come out of it, and that he was safe there. But he did not complete his words. The next landslip took him away, along with the building, in seconds,” said Mr. Antony.

The search for Mathew was launched right in the morning. But the body was recovered two days later, 200 metres away from the site of the disaster.

Saleem Madavoor, State general secretary of Rashtriya Janata Dal, has urged the State government to nominate Mathew, Vilangad’s martyr, for the National Bravery Award. He has also proposed that one member of Mathew’s family be offered a job with the government.