Srinagar- In a heart-wrenching display of resilience and love, Rehti Begum, 70, an elderly and ailing mother, has joined local unequipped rescuers in Srinagar in the search for her missing son, Showkat Ahmad Shiekh, and grandson, Fazik Showkat.
The duo went missing in the Srinagar boat tragedy, which has now stretched into its 10th day. Despite her age and health, Rehti Begum visits the nearby river Jhelum daily, pleading for the safe return of her loved ones. According to locals, her determination is a symbol of the deep emotional toll this tragedy has taken on families in their area.
“There is no one around now to take care of an old lady, his wife and his two daughters,” she sobs. “All I want now is to see their faces, put them to final rest and make a request to my lord to forgive us all,” she said.
“I want to see my son again in whatever way. My hand-folded request to the administration is to please come to our rescue and take us out from this trauma,” Begum says.
In the Gandbal area, there is a growing call for the deployment of specialized resources. Locals are urging the authorities to utilize camera mount boats and the expertise of the Marcos team for a more extensive and effective search operation.
“We have seen Divisional Commissioner and DC standing. We are thankful to them but after LG visited, everyone has vanished. We want sophisticated machinery to trace our missing,” a local, Ashiq Hussain, says. “These resources are seen as essential in navigating the challenging terrain and waterways to locate and rescue missing individuals. The use of such specialized teams and equipment could significantly aid in expediting the search efforts and bringing closure to the families affected by these tragic incidents.”
“We don’t want anything. We don’t get any compensation. We don’t want any politics. All we want is to see them out of the waters and give them the final burial,” Shafiqa, family member of one of the missing, Farhaan says.
“There has been a deep sense of loss. We have witnessed trauma, the highest degree of scars from the last many days. We have seen people coming and consoling us. We really are grateful to all those who have been with us. But please go to the government and tell them we want an end to this trauma,” she says.
Masarat, mother of seven-year-old Farhaan Waseem who went missing after a boat capsized, has been left numb by the tragedy. She is haunted by traumatic memories, especially the screams and the sight of her son drowning before her eyes. She has expressed a deep sense of grief, wishing that she had been the one to perish instead of her son.
Masarat’s story is just one among many in the Gandbal area, where victim families are enduring endless trauma inflicted by the devastating boat capsize that consumed their loved ones. The families are urging Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to accelerate search operations for those missing, emphasizing the urgent need for resolution and closure in the face of such devastating loss.
They said that all the local experts have tried their best, and that now there was a need for some sophisticated, high-end camera-based search operations.
This urgency is further emphasized by a weather advisory predicting a rise in water levels from April 27th. This potential rise in Jhelum can significantly complicate search efforts, and locals in the area are expressing frustration with the government, alleging that precious time was wasted when the water level was at its lowest. This criticism highlights the perceived lack of proactive measures taken by authorities to address the situation, potentially complicating ongoing search and rescue efforts in the aftermath of the Srinagar boat tragedy.
Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Dr Bilal A Bhat, told Kashmir Observer that efforts were on and teams would be deputed. He said that there is already an SDRF rescue mission team on the job while other measures are also underway.
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.
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