Sumbal (Bandipora): Shahtulpora village in Bandipora got enveloped in sorrow following the tragic drowning incident that claimed the lives of young siblings, Nuzhat Afzal, 18, and Nazakat Ali, 21.
Nuzhat, who had recently passed her 10th board exams, was on the riverbank on Sunday when she witnessed her brother Nazakat struggle to stay afloat.
In a desperate attempt to save him, Nuzhat leaped into the water. Trying to rescue Ali, Nuzhat remained missing for nearly an hour.
Locals, who joined the rescue mission, eventually found her lifeless body.
The family’s grief was compounded when Ali also lost his battle at SKIMS Hospital in Soura on Monday morning.
Among the mourners on Monday was Sahil Bashir, a BA student who had been one of the rescuers.
He recounted the incident, saying, “The brother-sister duo and their father were on the river bank on Sunday when Nazakat slipped into the river.” The trio had been in the orchard spraying pesticides and sought respite from the scorching heat by the river.
Haji Ghulam Muhammad, an elderly relative, said, “Nazakat jumped into the river and asked his sister to record a video of him while their father was returning with shampoo.”
Unfortunately, Nazakat encountered difficulties and struggled to resurface. “Witnessing him drowning, Nuzhat frantically jumped in to save him,” he said.
When Afzal, a government employee, returned and saw the scene unfold, he was overcome with shock.
“He nearly collapsed,” and, before seeking help, he too jumped into the water to rescue his children.
“Nazakat was pulled out after some time, but Nuzhat was missing for almost an hour,” Sahil said.
Nazakat had ingested a significant amount of water but “was still breathing.”
After administering first aid, he was initially taken to SKIMS Bemina (JVC) before being referred to SKIMS Soura in Srinagar for further treatment.
The word of the incident quickly spread throughout the village, prompting locals to join the rescue efforts.
But, tragically, it took an hour to locate Nuzhat, with her clothes spotted floating on the water.
Sahil said that Nuzhat showed no signs of life and was not breathing.
“She epitomised the bond between siblings,” said Mushtaq Ahmad Dar, a local mourner, tears welling up in his eyes.
Nazakat, a 12th standard student, was described as an ardent cricket enthusiast.
Amidst the mourning, a young woman in the house compound cried out,
“Who will I congratulate now? Who will I share moments of joy with?”
Since Nuzhat’s 10th-grade results were announced, people and relatives had been flocking to her house, creating a celebratory atmosphere. However, the air of celebration has now been replaced with grief, as people wail and sing eulogies.
Ghulam Muhammad said that Nuzhat also received religious education and would often attend the Madarasa, where she taught young children.
“She was pious,” he said.
Their relatives said that Nuzhat had a strong bond with her father and brother and usually accompanied them on their outings.
The siblings leave behind their parents and a younger sister. Tragically, the brother and sister are now “side by side” in their graves, adding to the family’s already overwhelming grief.
Many villagers were unable to speak due to the shock they were in from the heart-wrenching incident.
However, many requested that the administration construct the retaining walls around Jhelum to prevent increasing incidents of drowning.