SRINAGAR: Thousands of mourners gathered in Batwara area of central Kashmir’s Srinagar district to offer funeral prayers for a mother and her two sons, among the five people who drowned after a boat capsized on Tuesday morning.
The funeral was jointly offered for five deceased including a woman, her two sons and two other locals. The funeral was offered in a ground in the locality where thousands of people with numb eyes participated.
A pall of gloom descended the entire Batwara locality after the incident. Locals alleged that the incident was due to the absence of bridge in the locality.
“We have been promised high and tall but unfortunately nobody bothered to ensure a bridge in the locality. Today’s tragedy is because of the absence of a bridge,” news agency KNO quoted the locals as saying.
Meanwhile, several top officials of the civil administration as well as Jammu and Kashmir Police visited the spot to assess the situation.
Rescue operation is still underway as several people – who were on the boat when incident took place – are reportedly missing.
Earlier, Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha said that he is constantly monitoring the situation after 4 individuals died due to boat capsize in the river Jhelum in Gandbal locality of Srinagar.
In a post on X, office of LG J&K, said that administration is providing all possible help to the bereaved families.
The LG also expressed grief over the loss of lives due to the boat capsize. “I am deeply grieved by the loss of lives due to a boat accident in Srinagar. My thoughts are with the bereaved families & I pray to the Almighty to give them strength to withstand this immense loss.”
It said team of SDRF, Army & other agencies are carrying out relief & rescue work. “Administration is providing all possible help to the bereaved families who have lost their near and dear ones and medical facilities to those who have been injured. Marcos teams have also been alerted. I am constantly monitoring the situation and guiding the team on the ground,” reads the post.
