Ganderbal, June 4: Every time someone drowns in a canal or a river, the first thing the locals do is to call Bashir Ahmed Mir a local youth of Kangan in Ganderbal district. He has saved scores of lives and fished out dozens of bodies.
Mir does not think twice before jumping into the gushing waters which are sometimes as deep as 50 feet. His diving skills and success rate has earned him a great respect and name. Mir who belongs to a well of family in Kangan, besides being a sports lover and adventurous, he is known for his extraordinary swimming skills which he uses to save human lives. His swimming skills in gushing water of nallah Sindh including lakes of Ladakh region has earned him a lot of name among people particularly in the Ganderbal district.
Mir has never been to swimming school but living near nallah Sindh came to his advantage to learn swimming. Being an extraordinary swimmer Mir used his skill in social service. One remarkable aspect of Mir’s heroism is his ability to operate without any equipment for going deep into the water. He works without gloves, oxygen, and goggles, which are must for a diver’s safety. Mir in mid 30s remembers when he made a beginning as a rescuer in 2001. He recalls several instances when he put his own life to danger to save someone else’s. He claims to have recovered more than 50 bodies from under the water in the last 10 years or so and rescued dozens of people from water safely.
Talking to the Greater Kashmir Bashir Ahmed Mir said that he is happy that he is using his skills in the social work for sake of Allah. “I am receiving blessings from people whom I am saving which is enough for me,” Bashir told Greater Kashmir.
Mir said that along with a training it needs a motivation to put own life at risk to save someone else life. “ You can train people, but you can not motivate people to put their life at risk by jumping in the gushing waters to save someone else’s life, “ Mir said.
He said that his first rescue operation was in 2001 when a young man from Thune area was trapped in nallah Sindh waters and his relatives and locals police approached him for help, adding that he rescued him safely. “One of my most memorable rescues was when a tourist family in Sonamarg whose kid fell into water stream while taking a picture after which her mother also jumped to save her. However both drowned. Coincidently, I was present there and I rescued both of them, ” he shares. He said that the family still calls him and shares a cordial bond. Mir said that one of the difficult rescue operation was when a cab carrying Amarnath pilgrims fell into nallah Sindh near Hung area of Sonamarg in 2013. “As soon as I came to know, I rushed to the spot, dived in the water and after continuously searching for almost 10 days pulled all of the bodies who died in the incident”, he recalls. Mir said he always gets support from police, SDRF and other local volunteers. Inspired by Mir’s heroics many local youth of Kangan have formed a rescue group of volunteers who assist Mir during such rescue operations.
Though, Mir is participating voluntarily in rescue operations and that too without any life saving equipment, Mir’s services are frequently required by rescue agencies. Ironically, Mir has never been recognised for social work. “I have no regret. I never start the social work for receiving appreciation and awards, adding that the blessing i receive from people are my best reward” he told Greater Kashmir.
“Some people commit or attempt suicide by jumping into nallah Sindh and power canals in Ganderbal district. Very few are saved alive. Sometimes the bodies are recovered days after the incident”, claims the 35-year-old.