The woman was handed over to her brother and father, the police said (Representational)
A police constable in Uttar Pradesh's Greater Noida on Thursday jumped into a brimming canal to save a drowning woman, who was trying to kill herself over fights with her husband, officials said.
Constable Irfan Ali jumped into the canal and swam about 100 metres to save the 30-year-old woman, who had fallen unconscious, they said.
Impressed by the constable's feat, Police Commissioner Alok Singh lauded his selfless service and announced a monetary reward for saving the woman's life.
"Congratulations braveheart for putting citizen before self. He is being immediately rewarded with Rs 20,000 and also recommended for a suitable commendation," Mr Singh tweeted.
Constable Ali along with other policemen were deployed near the canal to keep a check on movement of people and vehicles amid the ongoing farmers' agitation in the region, a police official said.
"Around 1.30 pm, the woman jumped into the canal. Some local boys saw her drowning and alerted the policemen who were deployed nearby. Irfan Ali immediately jumped into the canal, which is around 18-20 feet deep and in full flow now," police officer Anil Kumar Pandey told news agency PTI.
"The constable swam towards the woman and somehow managed to push her out of the canal. Once on the bank of the canal, he requested some women who were passing by to help revive the woman who had fallen unconscious after swallowing the canal water," Mr Pandey said.
He said the woman regained consciousness after sometime and then identified herself.
She told the police that she and her husband work as labourers.
"The woman said she tried to end her life by jumping into the canal because she was upset with her husband who is an alcoholic and also beats her," Mr Pandey said.
Later, the woman's family members, including her brother and father, who live in the adjoining Bulandshahr district, were contacted and she was handed over to them, Mr Pandey added.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)