Srinagar, May 31: A Class 12 student died and two men were swept away in separate drowning incidents in north and south Kashmir on Saturday, with one of them feared dead after rescuing his son from the fast-flowing Lidder River in Pahalgam.
In Bandipora, 18-year-old Obaid Shabir, a Class 12 student from Nadihal, lost his life after he and his father, Shabir Ahmad Wani, a Head Constable posted at District Police Lines (DPL) Bandipora, drowned while bathing in Nala Sorindar.
According to officials, the father-son duo was caught in a sudden surge in water levels and swept away by the overflowing stream. Locals and teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) launched a rescue operation and retrieved both from the water.
Obaid succumbed to the incident, while his father sustained serious injuries and was initially admitted to District Hospital Bandipora before being referred to Srinagar for specialised treatment. Police have taken cognisance of the incident and initiated legal formalities.
In a separate incident in Pahalgam, a Srinagar man was feared dead after reportedly jumping into the Lidder River near Langanbal to save his son from drowning.
The man, identified as Muhammad Ashraf Mir of Jawahar Nagar, Srinagar, was visiting the tourist resort with family members when the incident occurred. According to reports, the family had halted near the river after being delayed by traffic congestion when his son, Fahad Mir, allegedly slipped into the water.
Witnesses said Ashraf immediately jumped into the river and successfully rescued the child. However, after bringing his son to safety, he was swept away by the strong currents and went missing.
Police, SDRF personnel and local residents launched a search operation, which was continuing till the filing of this report. (KNT)
