A boat capsized in the Jhelum River in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Wednesday, leaving two people missing and prompting a large-scale rescue operation. According to local officials, nine laborers were on board the boat when it capsized. Seven have been rescued, while two remain unaccounted for.
Rescue teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), the police, and local volunteers have been deployed to search for the missing persons. The two individuals who have not yet been located are reportedly residents of Uttar Pradesh.
The tragic incident happened as the nine people were crossing the river to perform work on the opposite bank. An official report stated, “Nine people were crossing the river; they were doing some work on the other side of the river. Unfortunately, the boat capsized… The SDRF, police administration, and paramilitary forces are conducting a rescue operation.”
This recent accident follows another deadly incident in April, where seven people, including two children and their mother, died after a boat capsized in the Jhelum River in the Gandbal area. This earlier incident involved a wooden boat carrying 15 passengers. The boat was traveling from Gandabal towards Batwara in the Jammu & Kashmir capital when it capsized, resulting in a tragic loss of life.
Local accounts indicate that the dangerous journey across the Jhelum River became necessary because the nearest bridge was two kilometers away, and a footbridge at the accident site has been under construction for nearly a decade.
The ongoing search operations underscore the pressing need to improve river safety and infrastructure in the region. The absence of adequate bridges has forced many to rely on boats, exposing them to potential risks. The authorities are expected to conduct thorough investigations to determine the cause of this latest accident and assess whether safety protocols were followed.
The tragedy has reignited calls for improved infrastructure and safety measures along the Jhelum River. As the rescue operations continue, the community remains hopeful for the safe recovery of the missing individuals.
