SRINAGAR: In a tragic incident, a son was swept away by the waters of ferocious Chenab moments after he led the last rites of his father on its banks, reports reaching from Akhnoor said.
Detailed revealed that Chaman Lal, a resident of Ganderwah village, met a road accident Saturday night and died. His family took the body for his last rites on the banks of Chenab where the Shamshan Ghat is located.
The last rites were over as per the norms and the routine with any people participating in the funeral.
As the people were about to leave, the dead man’s son, Vinod Kumar had to perform the concluding ritual. He had to get into the river for a mandatory bath. As got into the Chneab, a major current swept him along. Though the people attempted to rescue him, they failed in helping him. Later, the police and the SDRF were rushed to the spot, and an operation was going on to locate his body. Reports suggest that the water level is so high that it is apparently impossible that Kumar might have survived.
The region is witnessing deaths because of drowning after the weather conditions deteriorated. On Saturday, four young school students in Kathua were swept away by the currents of a flash blood. Two were saved but two others were killed.
The girls were returning home after attending school in the remote Nangala-Machaddi area in Billawar belt. They were crossing the stream at around 4:30 m when a strong current swept them away. Later, the bodies of Monika Devi and Radha Devi — both students of Class 6 — were recovered. Two other girls – also sixth graders – were rescued alive.
