Jahangeer Ganaie
Pulwama, May 9: The search to find two missing labourers who drowned in river Jhelum after the boat capsized in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Wednesday continues.
An official said that on Wednesday evening, a boat carrying nine labourers capsized in river Jhelum in the Hatiwara area of Awantipora, Pulwama, following which seven persons were rescued while two others are still missing.
He said the SDRF teams, police and locals started the operation to rescue the two missing persons on Wednesday evening which continued till late night and resumed on Thursday morning.
The official identified the missing persons as Ravi Kumar and Himanshu Rai from Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh.
Efforts were on for the whole day to trace the missing labourers; however, there was no success, he said, adding that the search operation continues.
Deputy Commissioner Pulwama Dr Basharat Qayoom and SSP Awantipora Aijaz Ahmad Zargar have been monitoring the rescue operation.
Meanwhile, a noted expert, Abdul Salam Dar, who belongs to the same area where labourers drowned, has also been trying to find the missing labourers.
Locals have demanded a footbridge over the Nallah at Hatiwara. According to them, their land is on the other side of the river and they are using boats to cross the river.
They requested the administration to look into the matter and take immediate steps in this regard.
