‘I’m a soldier, can’t watch anyone die’: Ex-Navyman who rescued drowning stranger in Ghaziabad

GHAZIABAD: Like many others, Dhanveer Singh Negi (57) stopped when he saw a crowd gathered on a culvert. But he was the only one to jump into the opaque waters of the canal running below and drag to safety a man who was about to drown.
"I'm a soldier. I can't watch anyone die in front of my eyes," the ex-Navyman told TOI on Wednesday of his plunge into the Hindon canal on Monday afternoon when a young man thrashed around to stay afloat, his father cried plaintively on the banks and onlookers captured it all on their cellphone cameras.
Negi, a former petty officer with the Navy's marine commandos (Marcos), wasn't the youngest in the crowd but parked his scooter and jumped in immediately.
'A soldier's job is to save people and move forward. I did the same'
I saw people taking videos and pictures, but no one had the courage to save the boy. Probably, they didn't know how to swim," he said.
It's some of these videos that would tell the tale of Singh's rescue act to the wider world, drawing lavish praise on social media.
The 18-year-old man who Negi saved had, according to witnesses, jumped into the canal near Gaur Green Avenue in Indirapuram after an argument with his father, who drives an e-rickshaw for a living.
Negi, who lives in Indirapuram, was returning home. It was around 4.30pm when he spotted the man in the canal.
Originally from Pauri Garhwal, Negi completed high school in 1985 and moved to Mumbai to join the Navy as a technical support specialist (electrical). His training took place at Mandvi, Goa. After a year, he went aboard a ship.
"I learned underwater diving skills and afterward joined Marcos. Currently, I am a trainer at a merchant navy institute in Sector 1 in Noida," said Negi, who retired on July 31, 2000.
"When I took the boy out of water, I also gave him CPR. After that, some people stopped an e-rickshaw and put the boy into it to take him to a hospital for treatment. I don't know him, and I didn't try to get to know him. I learned during my Navy training that soldiers work to only save people and move forward. I did the same," he added.
One video of 35 seconds shows Negi getting into the water. Another shows him pulling the youth to the banks and getting out. The person recording the video asks him his name and he replies that he is D S Negi, a local resident. The father of the youth, meanwhile, thanks Negi with folded hands.
Manan Bhatt, a Navy veteran, heaped praise on Negi, saying his act demonstrated that heroism and service transcend retirement. "Negi's act of courage extended beyond the rescued man. It serves as a powerful reminder to society that age and profession are no barriers to service and valour. His selfless act inspires us all to be ready to lend a helping hand whenever needed, regardless of the circumstances," Bhatt posted on X. "Negi's heroism embodies the unwavering commitment of a true Navy veteran. His selfless act compels us to reflect on our own social responsibilities and motivates us to be ever willing to serve our community and nation," he added.