Boat Tragedy: Second missing minor boy’s body recovered

SRINAGAR — The lifeless body of the second missing minor boy of Gandabal was found in River Jhelum near Noorbagh Srinagar on Saturday morning.

With the recovery of the body of Farhan Parray, the death toll in the Gandabal tragedy rises to eight, while one person – the father of little Haziq whose body was found on Friday from Jhelum near Rajbagh – remains untraced.

The locals from Gandabal informed the news agency KNO that the body of Farhan was sighted by some residents of Noorbagh, floating near the bridge. Acting swiftly, they retrieved the body and handed it over to the police.

Later, it was confirmed that the deceased was Farhan Waseem (12), son of Waseem Ahmad Parray, a resident of Gandabal, who had gone missing after a boat capsize incident at Gandabal on April 16. In that incident, six people lost their lives, and three went missing.

Despite heavy rains and the sorrowful cries of grieving women, Farhan’s body was laid to rest amid heavy hearts.

Eyewitnesses from Gandabal recount the heart-wrenching scene of Farhan’s mother bidding a tearful farewell to her son, with half of her body leaning out of the window, holding a scarf in one hand, as she cried out for her beloved.

People, wearing rain courts, were seen heading to the graveyard, holding umbrellas in their hands as little Farhan was buried amid heavy rains.

As the people mourn the loss of Farhan, they hold onto hope for the retrieval of the last missing person, Showkat Ahmad. Despite the continued search efforts, Showkat’s body remains untraced, leaving the community anxiously waiting for closure to the Gandabal tragedy.