Srinagar, Jan 19,: More than two years after the devastating Gandbal boat tragedy, the body of one of the missing victims, Showkat Ahmad Sheikh, was recovered from the Jhelum river on Monday, bringing closure to a prolonged and painful search.
Locals spotted the body in the river stretch near the site of the original accident earlier in the day and immediately informed the authorities. The body was subsequently retrieved from the river, officials said.
Showkat Ahmad Sheikh had remained untraced since the day the boat capsized in the Gandbal area, an incident that sent shockwaves across Srinagar and left several families shattered.
Following the tragedy, extensive rescue and recovery operations were launched, involving elite marine commandos of MARCOS and the State Disaster Response Force’s Quick Response Team.
Multiple underwater searches were conducted at different points along the Jhelum, but the body could not be located at the time despite sustained efforts.
The Gandbal boat tragedy had claimed eight lives, including children, and is remembered as one of the most tragic and deadliest river accidents in Srinagar’s recent history.
With the recovery of Sheikh’s body, the long and emotionally draining search operation has finally come to an end, offering a measure of closure to the bereaved family after years of uncertainty. [KNT
