Srinagar/Bandipora,: In two separate tragic incidents, two teenagers drowned while bathing in the River Jhelum—one in Hajin area of Bandipora district and another in Shivpora area of Srinagar—on Friday, prompting swift rescue operations by authorities.
In the first incident reported from Hajin in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district, a 13-year-old boy identified as Shahid Ahmad, son of Tariq Wani, a resident of Baharabad locality, drowned while taking a bath with friends. According to officials, the boy slipped into deeper waters and was swept away by strong currents.
Locals immediately alerted the authorities, following which a joint rescue operation was launched involving the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), police, and local volunteers. Boats and divers were deployed, and the search was still underway when the last reports came in.
In the second incident, reported from Shivpora area of Srinagar, eyewitnesses told Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that three boys were bathing in the river when one of them suddenly drowned. Locals at the scene rushed to try and help and quickly appealed to authorities for assistance.
An official confirmed that rescue teams were being dispatched to Shivpora to trace the missing boy, and operations were set to begin immediately.
These back-to-back incidents have raised concern across the Valley, with residents urging the administration to enforce safety measures along riverbanks and cautioning parents against allowing children to swim unsupervised, especially in unpredictable river currents.
Further updates on both rescue operations are awaited. —(KNO)
