Sopore, June 26: A 16-year-old boy tragically drowned in the River Jhelum while bathing near Jamia Masjid in Sopore town of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Thursday afternoon.
The deceased has been identified as Bilal Ahmad Parry, son of Abdul Jabbar Parry, a resident of Rafiabad. He was a student at Darul Uloom Sopore, an Islamic seminary in the area.
According to eyewitnesses, Bilal had gone for a bath with friends when he slipped into deep waters and was swept away by the river’s strong currents.
Following the incident, a joint rescue operation was launched by the Sopore Police ,Locals and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF). Teams were seen combing the riverbanks and using boats and other equipment in an attempt to trace the missing teen.
As of the time of filing this report, the body had not yet been recovered, and the search operation was still underway.
Local residents and authorities have urged caution near water bodies, especially during the summer months when such tragic incidents tend to rise.
