Akanksha lauded for her bravery

KARIMNAGAR: Despite watching her mother and two younger sisters drown in an agriculture well, Gattu Akanksha, a 10-year-old girl from Gundlacheruvupalli of Timmapur mandal, bravely saved herself by clinging on to a tree branch. She later managed to come out of the well, walked into the village and informed the villagers about the death of her family members.The girl was appreciated for her bravery and received a cash award of Rs 20,000 from district collector Smita Sabharwal during the Republic Day celebrations in Karimnagar Thursday. Moved by her plight, the collector promised to provide further help for the girl to continue her education.Akanksha’s parents were in severe financial crisis due to losses in business. Distressed over financial problems, Akanksha’s mother, Lata,  jumped into an agricultural well along with her three daughters at Gudlacheruvupalli in the wee hours of Jan 24. While Lata and her younger daughters drowned, Akanksha managed to come out of the well. She spent several hours in the cold dark night and after sunrise, she climbed up and ran into the village for help but when the villagers returned to the well, they found Lata and her younger daughters dead.