Excelsior Correspondent
RAJOURI/ JAMMU, Aug 5: A minor boy was washed away in river Tawi leading to protest by relatives over delay in rescue operation, the dead body of ration dealer from Manjakote area who was washed away in a nallah late last evening was recovered today while his elder brother rescued by people also died in Rajouri hospital last mid night.
The dead body of an eight year old girl who was washed away in canal near Jammu railway station last evening was also recovered today.
13-year-old Arun Kumar, son of Ravi Kumar, resident of Krishna Nagar was washed away in river Tawi when he was bathing along with other boys near forth bridge on Bhagwati Nagar side at around 1.30 pm today. Some of the boys managed to flee. They raised alarm but the boy could not be saved. The water level in Tawi suddenly started rising due to rain on the higher reaches and the boy was washed away. The family contacted Control Room and police and the search operation started but after long search the body could not be traced.
Later, relatives of the boy and residents of the local came out on the road near main Tawi bridge and held protest alleging that due to delay in rescue operation, the boy was washed away. They also disrupted the movement of traffic for some time. However, police reached and it prevented them to do so and got the road cleared. Later, they also met Deputy Commissioner and lodged their protest with him. They alleged that Flood Control Room staff and police authorities acted late and the boy could not be rescued. They stressed the need to strengthen Disaster Management wing.
Meanwhile, the dead body of 8-year-old Pooja, daughter of Panjore Kumar, resident of Gopal Ganj in Bihar and presently residing in Mazdoor Basti, near Railway Station was recovered today. The flow of water in the canal was stopped by Irrigation authorities and the search started. The body had been trapped under a Puli and was recovered this morning.
Reports from Rajouri said that today morning again, the police, Army and locals of Kattal-Kalaban area of Manjakote launched search operation for the missing ration dealer Aurangzeb, who was washed away in swollen nallah late last evening. The body was traced at around 10 am about 5 km down stream.
Ration dealer’s elder brother Mohd Alam, both sons of Gulzar Hussain, who was rescued by locals and had received serious injuries died in District Hospital Rajouri at around 2 am. He was also washed away along with his other three brothers while returning home from ration depot. They unloaded the ration bags from the truck at the depot located on road side and were returning home at around 9 pm. Due to flash flood in nallah, all the four washed away. Only one of them namely Mohd Farooq (33) managed to escape by holding bushes. Dead body of Javed (28) was recovered last night. Despite massive search for 3-4 hours last night, the body of Aurangzeb could not be traced.
Meanwhile, District Administration provided Rs 1.50 lakh each to the family members of the deceased persons. Additional D C Rajouri Salim Malik personally went there and delivered the cheques. The Administration also provided Rs 10,000 to these families as immediate relief from Red Cross.
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