Jineesh Jeron, fisherman who rescued many during Kerala floods, dies on road, unaided

A small hamlet in Poonthura, Thiruvananthapuram, had to bid goodbye to their hero, Jineesh Jeron, who dies on Sunday, September 30 after his bike was hit by a speeding lorry. Nobody came forward to help him while he lay dying on the road. He was buried at the St Thomas church near Poonthura on Sunday.

Jineesh’s friend Jagan, who was riding pillion, narrated the incident to The Times of India. Jagan revealed that due to the accident, Jineesh was flung off and truck mowed him down. Jagan said, “He was lying on the road, crushed below his waist, and screaming for help.”

“Nobody stopped,” said Jagan. “I can’t believe something like this could happen to a man like Jineesh. He loved to help others. That’s what made him a hero during the recent floods,” the TOI quoted Jagan as saying.

Selvi, the mother of Jineesh, said to TOI, “When the church vicar called for a meeting seeking help from fishermen for the rescue mission, Jineesh and his six friends promptly took a boat and set off. They didn’t wait for anyone and other teams followed them only the next day.”

As per TOI report, Jineesh and his friends had evacuated more than 100 people to safety during rescue operations Chengannur, one of the most severely affected areas.

Jineesh’s family and friends would often play videos showing him swimming across murky waters during floods and rescuing people. They would then look at clippings of newspapers praising him as a hero and saviour.

According to a report in The News Minute, Jineesh was a fisherman, who was among the first persons to reach Chengannur. His group ‘Coastal Warriors’ responded to the floods even before the government teams did. On August 16, he and six of his friends from Puthiyathura, Anjuthengu and Poonthura set out with a boat rented from someone in their locality to Chengannur.

After class 12, Jineesh took up fishing to support his two younger brothers, both of whom have completed their degrees He and his family lived in a rented house after their house was destroyed by the sea three years ago.

Images of Jineesh from the rescue mission is of him neck deep in the waters, holding an 86-year-old woman, as he carried her to a boat. Rachel’s daughter Leena Mathew, based in Texas, had lost hope of finding her parents when she got in touch with Jineesh’s group.

“My parents, both above 80 years of age, were alone in the house. We had earlier got a wrong information that they were already rescued. Later, we got in touch with Jineesh’s group members through Facebook. They soon headed there and got them out safely. It’s quite sad that he left us so soon,” said Leena to The Hindu.

Also among those rescued by his group were 28 young children of an orphanage. Even after they got back home after the rescue operation, Jineesh and group were in constant touch with those rescued over phone.

“He had a big network of friends here. He was popular among the kids too, as a dancer and a cricketer. They all used to gather around every evening near the church. He has always been the first to volunteer for help for someone in need, despite his circumstances,” said Johny to The Hindu.

Netizens took to twitter to express their shock over the incident and offer their condolences to Jineesh Jeron.