Srinagar- The boat tragedy in Gandbal, Soiteng area of capital Srinagar has unveiled a bag full of tragedies and miseries as families desperately search for their loved ones.
Parents, overcome with grief, frantically search bags, hoping for any sign of their missing children. The ongoing search is a grim reminder of the devastating impact such tragedies can have on families and communities.
The tragic incident along the banks of the river Jhelum, where a boat capsized, has left the entire area in mourning. Six lives have been lost, and the search continues for at least three missing persons, including a father-son duo. Later the administration issued a detailed list of victims and also those who were rescued. The number stands at 19, where the locals quoted different figures.
“Why are you coming now to shoot all this? Do you want this to go to deaf ears? We have been sobbing, waiting for this bridge to get completed. Nothing happened till our area became a graveyard of dreams and aspirations,” Ateeka Bano, a wailing woman at the site, says.
Another woman in her late 50’s, Shahida Begum, adds, “I was preparing tea. I live just nearby, just opposite the bridge. I overheard a big scream. I thought this nearby army camp had been attacked. I went out running and shouting. I saw people gathering at the river banks and then this tragedy struck us,” she says, adding “The river’s cruelty knows no bounds, submerging us in sorrow and consuming our loved ones with its relentless force. This water has been too cruel for us. Sometimes it submerged us. Sometimes it consumes our dear ones.”
“Our hearts weigh heavy with sorrow and uncertainty. The atmosphere among us is somber, shrouded in a cloud of apprehension as we await any news,” says Muhammad Iliyas, a local.
One of the boatmen, Shakeel Ahamd, who was rescued, tells Kashmir Observer, that he had requested parents and those wanting to cross the river to wait and not overload the boat. “Everyone seemed to be in a hurry. They wanted to reach school in time. A boat which would accommodate hardly 8 to 10 people, was overloaded. It resulted in this tragedy.”
“While school going children and their parents and laborers were coming on board, one elderly man chose to stay back. He was the one shouting on the banks to save the drowning kids,” he adds.
Eyewitnesses have provided harrowing accounts of the events leading to the tragic capsizing of the boat. According to their testimonies, the vessel, which had been secured with a rope tethered to a cable for stability, encountered a catastrophic obstacle. In the relentless rush of the river’s current, the boat collided with an unforgiving iron pillar, causing irreparable damage. The force of the impact inflicted severe harm upon the vessel, ultimately resulting in its overturning. In the chaos that ensued, passengers found themselves thrust into the merciless waters, their fates hanging precariously in the balance.
Amidst the flickering flames of hope, there exists a palpable sense of despair. Rescue teams including NDRF, SDRF, and police among others tirelessly comb through the wreckage, their efforts a testament to human resilience in the face of adversity.
“With each passing minute and the alarms around, it only serves to compound our anguish, prolonging the agony of uncertainty,” says Khalida Jan of the locality. “As we mourn the loss of those who have tragically departed, we find some measure of comfort in knowing that their journey has found its rest. Meanwhile, those who have been spared from the clutches of disaster are receiving much-needed care and support at the local hospital.”
However, amidst the grief and relief, a haunting question looms overhead – the exact number of missing souls remains unknown. This uncertainty deepens our collective sorrow, casting a shadow of doubt over our community.
This tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the inherent dangers and unpredictability of life along the river.
“We have been witnessing disasters in the areas living by the river Jhelum. Nobody seems to be bothered. Our MLAs only remember us in times of elections,” an elderly man, Abdur Rehman, says. “Go and have a look at this area, you will yourself understand how we have been neglected. We want the LG to initiate an inquiry into this and punish those who have sabotaged the completion of the bridge.”
The atmosphere is somber as families anxiously wait for news, some resorting to prayer for divine intervention. Hope is mingled with despair as rescue teams’ work tirelessly, but false alarms add to the anguish. The bodies of the deceased have been laid to rest, while the rescued are being treated at a local hospital, some have been discharged. Police quotes 3 people still missing and 8 rescued and 6 dead in the tragedy.
“This tragedy has not only deeply affected the area but entire Kashmir. It highlights the dangers and unpredictability of life along the river,” says a social activist, Javed Ahmad.
‘Each bag told a story of ambition and aspiration’
As Kashmir mourns the loss of the students from this Srinagar boat tragedy, whose dreams and hopes tragically sank in the depths of the Jhelum river. Each bag they carried told a story of ambition and aspiration, now submerged in the waters.
“Every morning parents, mostly mothers, accompany their children, holding their bags and later in the evening receive them as well. For many mothers, this is the only exciting job here. Today, the bags floated and the boys sank. Their dreams got shattered, their aspirations got killed,” says Bashir Ahmad Bhat, who lost his 30-year-old son.
“I didn’t know. I kept asking my son in the morning not to take the boat today as if I knew something bad was going to happen,” he sobs.
The Srinagar boat tragedy has brought immense grief to the family of Bashir Ahmad Bhat. Bhat’s 30-year-old son, Shabir Ahmad Bhat, a hardworking laborer, was among the unfortunate individuals whose lives were claimed when the boat capsized. The loss of Shabir Ahmad Bhat is a tragic reminder of the human toll such accidents can exact. This bridge which remains incomplete and unfinished from last over a decade is a grim reminder of how people have suffered over the years for the want of basic amenities and were devoid of the basic fundamentals of life.
It’s truly tragic when promises remain unfulfilled, especially when they concern critical infrastructure that could enhance safety and convenience for the community. Such incidents underscore the importance of timely completion of essential projects.
People have blamed local MLAs, Vote hungry politicians. It’s understandable that the community is frustrated and disillusioned with politicians who make promises but fail to deliver.
Wailing Father, Aggrieved Inhabitant
“In absence of the bridge, we have been requesting the concerned departments, government to provide us with a big boat which would have ensured the safety of the children. Since this was the routine for us, we would manage it on our own. They (government) couldn’t provide us with a simple rope, leave everything else.”
According to them, this underscores the challenges faced by marginalized communities in accessing basic infrastructure. Despite repeated requests, the government has failed to provide even a simple solution like a rope or a boat, leaving residents to manage on their own. “This highlights a larger issue of neglect and lack of support for areas like ours that are often overlooked. The need for basic amenities, especially for ensuring the safety of children, has been neglected a great deal.”
Despite the desperate prayers and cries for the safe return of their loved ones, the harsh reality of the river’s swift currents became increasingly apparent as search and rescue efforts continued. The overall feeling was one of helplessness and despair, with little optimism for a positive outcome. The sentiments expressed by residents reflect a deep-seated frustration and lack of faith in the government’s ability to address their needs.
The remark about not having any government reflects a sense of abandonment and neglect, suggesting that the government has failed to provide the necessary infrastructure and support to prevent such tragedies. The skepticism about the completion of the bridge and the belief that even the deaths of children would not prompt action from the government highlight the deep-seated disillusionment among the affected community.
As the SDRF team found a school bag, cries of the people reverberated through the air. A woman fought to break free from the grasp of others, determined to search for her son on her own. Every eye was in tears, as each person seemed to recall sending off their own children that very morning to school.
Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Bilal Mohiudin confirmed the incident occurred at 8: AM when an old wooden boat headed from Gandbal on one side of the Jhelum was headed towards the other bank of Batwara. Though the distance between the localities is 500 metres by boat, the nearest bridge is 3km away, prompting residents to take the risky ride. A footbridge near the area where the accident took place has been under construction for nearly a decade.
“Fifteen people, including schoolchildren, were in the boat when it capsized. While six people were rescued, six bodies were retrieved till the afternoon. A search is on for three missing persons,” Bhat said. People rescued were rushed to the local Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital, where three are admitted and three were discharged after first-aid.
Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group: Join Now
Be Part of Quality Journalism |
Quality journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce and despite all the hardships we still do it. Our reporters and editors are working overtime in Kashmir and beyond to cover what you care about, break big stories, and expose injustices that can change lives. Today more people are reading Kashmir Observer than ever, but only a handful are paying while advertising revenues are falling fast. |
| ACT NOW |
| MONTHLY | Rs 100 |  |
| YEARLY | Rs 1000 | |
| LIFETIME | Rs 10000 | |
