KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
A distraught family in far off Lolab village in district Kupwara has accused the district administration of “failing” to trace their son who drowned in a local stream 20 days ago.
Ashiq Hussain Turk of Kuligam in Lolab told KNS that his 11-year-old son, Rizwan, drowned in gushing Warnow stream by slipping off the temporary wooden plank.
“On November 13, the tragedy took place that shocked us all. We all (family and villagers) rushed to the spot to find our son. Soon the administration was informed about the shocking incident,” Turk said.
“The administration mobilized police to trace my son. Army also assisted the administration. But the search to trace my son last for only two days. No effort was made after that by the administration,” the distraught father said.
Locals said that the family is in shock and four of their members are bed-ridden after the tragedy. They said that Turk has been wandering on the banks of the stream in these 20 days to find his son.
“The whole family might die of shock if the administration does not resume tracing out the boy,” locals said.
District Commissioner Kupwara, Kumar Rajiv Ranjan said that the administration “used all its efforts” to trace out the boy, but could not find him as the stream has speedy, gushing water.
“We searched along the whole stream, wherever it flows or branches out. Some of the top officials also stationed for two days in the area. Police, army, irrigation and flood control department made their hard efforts during the search that last for 10 days. But our all efforts failed,” Ranjan added.
However, the family said that since “we are poor and have no influence; the administration gave up its effort to find our boy”.
