Meanwhile, family members, relatives and villagers from two panchayats i.e., Choidraman and Afti staged a protest demonstration at Afti Headquarter seeking immediate launch of rescue operation using helicopters.
Jammu: Even as officials claimed that rescue operations to trace the six missing persons from Warwan in Kishtwar had been launched, inclement weather and more than 6 feet deep snow on Margan Top, the mountain pass through which the missing persons are likely to have been travelling from Anantnag district, hampered efforts to locate them.
It may be mentioned that at least six persons, heading for their native village in Warwan from Anantnag on foot, went missing after they made a last call to their respective families on Tuesday evening.
The missing persons include Ajaz Ahmad Koka son of Abdul Rehman Koka, Muhammad Akbar Koka son of Ghulam Qadir Koka, Ghulam Nabi son of Ghulam Qadir Koka, Gulzar Ahmad son of Ghulam Muhammad Koka, Manzoor Ahmad son of Ghulam Mohammad Koka and Idrees Ahmad son of Sunna ullah Dar, all residents of Choidraman in Warwan.
Officials in Kishtwar did not respond to repeated phone calls from this reporter. However, officials of the Disaster Management Authority in Srinagar said that a rescue operation has been launched to find out the missing persons . “The rescue teams of SDM, SDPO, Tehsildar, Army, Health Department, NHIDCL, SDRF and others have started their job,” said an official.
Meanwhile, family members, relatives and villagers from two panchayats i.e., Choidraman and Afti staged a protest demonstration at Afti Headquarter seeking immediate launch of rescue operation using helicopters.
Muhammed Ramzan Ahanger, resident of Choidraman panchayats in Warwan claimed that his relatives were among the missing persons.
“Three nights and two days have passed with no contact with missing persons. On reaching Margan Top, they had called to their home and assured that they would reach home by morning,” Ahanger said.
“The weather is extremely unpleasant with over 6 feet of snow in Margan Top and no one knows the whereabouts of the missing persons. We all are seriously concerned about them” Ahanger added.
DDC chairperson Kishtwar, Pooja Thakur alleged that “nothing has been done with regard to rescue operations,”. “That is why I have come to Civil Secretariat Jammu to raise the issue.”
Sarpanch, Panchayat Yourdu, Nazir Ahmed Lone told that he had personally called on Deputy Commissioner, Kishtwar and requested him to raise this issue with the Army “so that a chopper could be pressed into the rescue operation to find out the missing six persons.”
“Although the administration has assured us of all efforts to rescue the six persons, we were told that no operation could be launched due to inclement weather conditions in Warwan. There is no option to approach the area by road. However, the Army’s chopper service can be helpful to locate the missing persons in three identified sites,” Lone added.
