DC Bandipora visits Kuloosa to oversee rescue operation of drowned boy

• Urges parents to keep children away from water bodies

BANDIPORA: Deputy Commissioner (DC) Bandipora, Indu Kanwal Chib visited Kuloosa on Friday morning to personally assess and monitor the intensive search and rescue operation underway following the unfortunate drowning of a young boy in Nallah Madhumati yesterday evening.

Expressing profound sorrow over the tragic incident, the DC extended heartfelt sympathies to the aggrieved parents and family members. Terming the incident heartbreaking, she stated that the child had reportedly stepped near the bank to retrieve a ball while playing and slipped into the rapid stream.

The DC reviewed the ongoing joint search operation, which was launched swiftly within an hour of the incident by teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Jammu & Kashmir Police, District Administration, and local volunteers.

While speaking on the occasion, Deputy Commissioner informed that the District Administration had coordinated with NHPC authorities last night to temporarily halt the downstream flow of water. To further expedite the operation and assist the divers and rescue personnel, NHPC has been directed to completely stop the discharge from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM today, ensuring that the water level recedes sufficiently for thorough scanning of the stream bed.

The DC observed that while wire mesh barricades and fencing are in place along most sections of the embankment, designated openings remain for daily domestic chores like washing clothes.

Issuing a stern advisory to the public, she appealed to parents and residents residing along riverbanks to maintain strict vigilance over their children and prevent them from venturing near hazardous water channels, emphasizing that heightened caution at home is vital to averting such painful tragedies.