(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer) Srinagar- After a hiatus of eight months, the search for the missing body from the tragic Gandbal boat capsize resumed on Thursday, bringing a flicker of hope to the grieving family of Showkat Ahmad. This renewed effort follows a viral video stor broadcast by Kashmir Observer, which shed light on the forgotten tragedy and sparked a public outcry.
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Showkat Ahmad, one of the victims of the fateful boat accident, has been missing since the incident. The search efforts were halted midway, leaving his family, looking for closure, in deep anguish. However, the viral video reignited public attention, prompting authorities to take action.
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Sakeena, Showkat's wife, shared her thoughts with Kashmir Observer, saying,“After your video went viral on social media, the SDRF team arrived today and resumed the search. It feels like someone has finally heard our cries after months of silence.”
On the morning of April 16, 2024, a devastating tragedy struck the Gandbal area of Srinagar, leaving a permanent scar on the lives of many. A routine commute turned into a nightmare when a boat carrying 18 passengers capsized in the Jhelum River, claiming eight lives, including schoolchildren, while one person remains missing.
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The incident unfolded as residents opted for an alternate route, bypassing an incomplete bridge that had stood abandoned since construction began in 2016. Midway across the river, the boat's rope snapped, causing it to collide with the abandoned structure. While several passengers were rescued, eight lives were tragically lost, and Showkat Ahmad's body remains missing to this day.
For Showkat Ahmad's family, the pain has been unrelenting. His son, who perished alongside him, was recovered 11 days after the incident, but Showkat's body still lies somewhere beneath the river's waters, eluding all attempts to bring him home. Showkat is survived by his mother, wife, and two daughters. With no male members left in the household, Sakeena's parents visit the family at night to offer support.
His grieving mother often sits by the riverbank, her voice trembling as she calls out to her son, clinging to the faintest hope.
“It was the seventh day of Eid, April 16,” she recalls tearfully.“My son left home at 7:45 a.m. with my grandson. I was at home when suddenly I heard cries outside. When I asked, they told me the boat had capsized. Some were rescued, some drowned, and some were missing. They searched for my son, but he's still not found. Every day, I sit on the banks of the Jhelum, calling out to him, yearning for his return. He has taken my sight with him-I can barely see now.”
“Perhaps if he returns, my sight will come back too,” she adds with a sigh.
Following the tragedy, authorities fast-tracked the construction of the incomplete bridge, which had been neglected for over a decade. Within seven months of the incident, the bridge was completed and made functional. However, for Showkat's family, the bridge stands as a painful reminder of their loss.
“We avoid crossing that bridge,” says Sakeena, Showkat's wife.“Every time I see it, the memories of that fateful day come rushing back. If it had been completed on time, the tragedy could have been avoided. My son and husband would have been with us today. I have two daughters, and there's no man left in our house now-no breadwinner. That bridge is a constant reminder of our pain. To us, it feels like salt rubbed into a wound.”
The Jhelum River, which has witnessed countless tragedies over the years, has once again become a graveyard for the lost. As water levels recede, Showkat's family holds onto hope that renewed efforts might finally lead to the discovery of his remains.
As Gandbal moves forward, Showkat Ahmad's story remains etched in the hearts of the community-a poignant reminder of lives lost, promises unfulfilled, and a family's enduring hope. Will Showkat ever be found, or will the Jhelum River forever hold its secrets?
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