Srinagar, Apr 19: Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir, V K Birdi, visited Gandbal on Friday to oversee the ongoing rescue operations aimed at locating three missing individuals who tragically drowned during a boat capsize in the river Jhelum on Tuesday.
Despite exhaustive efforts by the rescue teams there has been no success in locating the missing individuals thus far. The incident occurred when a boat carrying several passengers capsized in the turbulent waters of the river Jhelum, sparking a frantic search and rescue operation.
During his visit, IGP Birdi took stock of the situation and interacted with the rescue teams to assess the progress of the search operation. He expressed his deep concern over the tragic incident and assured that every possible effort is being made to locate the missing individuals.
“We are fully committed to continuing our search and rescue operations until we locate the missing individuals. Our teams are working tirelessly, braving adverse weather conditions, to find them,” IGP Birdi said.
The IGP also urged the local community to extend their full cooperation to the rescue teams and to provide any information that may assist in locating the missing individuals.
The boat, carrying 19 passengers and heading east from Gandabal towards Batwara in Srinagar, capsized around 8 am after hitting an iron pole in the middle of the river. All the children on board were students of Kendriya Vidyalaya in Sonwar, located across the river.
Rescue teams, including the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and Marcos, have been tirelessly searching the turbid waters of the Jhelum River, spanning 4-5 km downstream from Gandbal to Raj Bagh. Divers have been deployed to search underwater for any signs of the missing persons.
Officials said that the rescue operation continued throughout the night and was resumed in the morning. Despite efforts, the search teams have yet to find any trace of the missing individuals.
The missing persons have been identified as Farhan Waseem Parray, 7, Showkat Ahmad Sheikh, 40, and his son Haziq Showkat, 9. Their families, along with hundreds of concerned individuals, have been waiting anxiously along the banks of the Jhelum River for any news.
Officials said that the search teams are focusing on specific areas where there is a higher probability of finding the bodies, considering the fast-flowing water currents. They are also alerting all police stations along the river to be on the lookout for any floating bodies.
The delay in completing the footbridge has sparked criticism from the public and political leaders. “The whole valley is in mourning. The officers and leaders come at the time of elections and then they never show their face. They never care about the needs of the people,” said a group of mourning women at Gandbal.