Srinagar, May 26: Amid breeze and drizzling along the Jhelum banks this evening, every eye was moist as the family of Muhammad Shakir Bhat, a Biscoe boy who drowned last Friday, prayed to Almighty Allah that his body be traced soon.
 As the authorities failed to trace the boy for the seventh running day Thursday, the bereaved family held special prayers to get Shakir’s body.
 “We are devastated, we want see him last time now,” says his uncle Ghulam Muhammad Bhat. “His parents don’t sleep they want their son back to hug him last time.”
 The family, desperately waiting for their son, had erected a camp near the Lal Mandi Footbridge to take the glimpse of Shakir when he will be fished out.
 “When weeping, wailing and protest didn’t work let’s give prayers a try,” said his uncle.
 Shakir’s friends remember him for his happy face as he was cheerful and excited after taking part in Regatta in Dal Lake on the fateful day when he drowned in the river.
 “He was happy as he had successfully completed the practice in the lake but we never knew that it will turn into a tragedy,” narrated his friend Ubaid.
 His friends protested against the delay in the search operation and government’s alleged inefficiency. They even abandoned their classes but their friend is still nowhere.
 “The authorities don’t understand our loss,” said his friends. “We want to see Shakir and give a respectable adieu”.
 Even as Navy divers resumed the search operation again on Tuesday, sobbing parents lost trust on administration for failing to retrieve the body of their loved one.
 In absence of River Police in River Jhelum, Muhammad Shakir couldn’t be rescued immediately.
 Though the government had announced the price money for the person who would search his body,  observers say, the government needs to think for the eventualities. 

Lastupdate on : Thu, 26 May 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 26 May 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 27 May 2011 00:00:00 IST