Excelsior Correspondent
RAMBAN, Apr 1: Three labourers were killed while another was injured critically after they got trapped in the snow along a mountainous route adopted by them to reach their home in Banihal by evading restrictions amid a lockdown over COVID-19 pandemic.
As per police sources, seven labourers, all residents of Hinjal area of Tehsil Banihal had adopted snowbound and hazardous mountainous track to reach their home by evading the restrictions in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
The movement across Jawahar tunnel has been restricted due the ongoing country-wide lockdown and so the labourers decided to take the Verinag (Kapran)-Banihal top route through Pir Panjal ranges, on foot, to reach their home, sources added.
Out of seven, four got trapped in the snow while three others reach their home, sources said, adding that the all the four persons trapped in the snow were later evacuated by police along with army personnel and locals.
All the evacuated persons were shifted to Sub District Hospital (SDH) Banihal, where doctors declared three of them as brought dead, while the condition of the fourth person was stated to be critical when last reports came in, the sources informed.
The deceased labourers were identified as Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Draboo (34), son of Abdul Rehman Draboo, Zubair Ahmed (17), son of Mohammad Shafi Draboo and reyaz Ahmed Draboo (22), son of Mohammad Ramzan Draboo, all residents of Hinjal, Tehsil Banihal District Ramban, while the injured has been identified as Parvez Ahmed (20), son of Abdul Majeed Draboo of Hinjal, Tehsil Banihal, District Ramban.
After completing medical and legal formalities, the bodies of the deceased were handed over to legal heirs for last rites.
A senior police officer said that out of seven, four labourers got trapped last night after they adopted snowbound and hazardous mountainous track to reach their home. “Soon after receiving the information, a rescue operation was launched and the trapped persons were evacuated.
“Out of four evacuated labourers, three were declared brought dead at SDH Banihal, while one another is undergoing treatment and his condition was stated to be critical when last reports came in”, he added.
However, Banihal Police has taken cognizance in this regard.
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