Kishtwar, J&K (India): A minor child died, and two women were rescued after being swept away in a flooded river in the Mughal Maidan area of Kishtwar district in Jammu and Kashmir.
The tragic incident occurred when two women and a child slipped from a temporary wooden bridge constructed by locals while attempting to cross it. As they stepped onto the bridge, all three fell into the River Chenab, locals told Diplomat Digital.
Soon after learning about the incident, locals and the Red Cross members rushed to the spot and managed to rescue both women from the river. However, a 4 – month – old boy, Mohammed Usman, son of Mohammed Ashraf, was swept away by the strong current.
“The mother was holding her minor son while crossing the wooden log when she lost balance and slipped into the river with another woman. Unfortunately, the boy could not survive the tragedy,” the locals alleged. After hectic efforts, the body of the child was later recovered from the river.
Meanwhile, officials from the district administration and the Jammu and Kashmir Police, including SHO Chatroo Reshi Kumar, reached the site soon after the incident.
To express their resentment, locals staged a protest at Mughal Maidan along NH-244 (Kishtwar–Sinthan Top road). They questioned the administration for failing to construct a permanent bridge, especially after the previous structure was washed away in last year’s flash floods.
They demanded the immediate construction of a safe and permanent bridge to prevent such incidents in the future. Locals alleged that people from 15 panchayats continue to suffer due to the absence of a bridge over the river, urging authorities to ensure the safety of those who travel through the area daily.
