In a rare display of selfless courage and valour caught on CCTV, a man in Chennai became a real-life hero on Sunday when he saved a nine-year-old boy from being electrocuted on a rain-flooded street. The dramatic rescue is now going viral online, earning praise and admiration from across the internet.
The young boy, a third-grade student, was walking home from school through stagnant rainwater along the edge of a road when tragedy nearly struck. As he passed a junction box, he unknowingly stepped on a live, broken wire hidden in the water. Instantly, he collapsed and began convulsing, his cries for help echoing in the empty street.
That’s when Kannan, a passerby on his motorbike, spotted the boy in distress. Without a second thought, he stopped, got off his bike, and waded into the electrified water, knowing full well the danger he was putting himself in.
What a hero! 👏🏼 Man risks his own life to rescue a young boy who was being electrocuted in a water-logged street in Chennai pic.twitter.com/93YirwoZRF
— Akshita Nandagopal (@Akshita_N) April 21, 2025
“It was raining heavily, and the road was flooded. I saw him fall and assumed he had slipped,” Kannan said. “But as I got closer, I noticed his limbs twitching uncontrollably—that’s when I realised he was being electrocuted.”
Kannan shouted for help, but no one responded. Determined to save the child, he moved closer and grabbed him. “I got shocked too when I touched him, but I didn’t let go,” he said. “I pulled him out, and we performed chest compressions, gave first aid, and rushed him to the hospital.”
The boy survived the terrifying ordeal thanks to Kannan’s quick thinking and courage. His bravery is a powerful reminder that heroes walk among us—often in the most unexpected moments.
