Kashmir Avalanche: 7-year-old Among Three Rescued; Four Bodies Recovered

Srinagar: During a rescue operation launched to extricate people from under the snow, four bodies have been recovered, three people have been rescued while two or three others continue to be missing in the Tangdhar area.

Among the bodies recovered was that of two Beacon officers, who were swept away by an avalanche on Friday evening at Sadna Top, an ascent point on the Kupwara-Tangdhar highway.

Eight passengers and two beacon officials travelling in two vehicles had come under an avalanche adjacent to Sadhna top on Friday evening.

The two beacon men were sitting beside a vehicle when the avalanche struck and took both of them along.

While one of them was injured, a hawaldar (incharge sector commander) went missing. His body was recovered by a team of civilians, army and police.

The beacon officer, MP Singh of 109 RCC, was immediately rushed to MI (a mini military hospital) room in Chowkibal. The doctors who attended upon him declared Singh as brought dead, an army official said.

Meanwhile, in another operation, a 7-year-old boy was rescued among seven people who went missing after a sumo (JK09A- 3249) came under an avalanche at Khoni Nallah near Sadhna Top. Bodies of three of the other six missing have also been found.

The driver jumped out of the vehicle, while it swept the others away.

Sources say that the rescue teams are yet to find a trace of the vehicle.

“We are trying our level best to rescue the missing even as fresh snowfall has started in the area, which is hampering the operation,” an official told News18.

The residents of Tandhar have been demanding a tunnel to bypass the treacherous uphill trek, especially with the onset of winters. The area is avalanche prone and every year casualties are reported on the stretch. A tunnel will make Tangdhar accessible throughout the year, without people having to go through the risks of taking the other route.