Nine boys rescued after night-long operation along Zabarwan Hills

SRINAGAR — After about eight hours, a team of Wildlife Department rescued a group of nine boys from Nishat area of Srinagar who had gone to Zabarwan hills “possibly for trekking” amid ongoing lockdown, imposed to prevent spread of coronavirus.

Altaf Hussain, Wildlife Warden Central Division Srinagar said that he received a call from Additional Deputy Commissioner Srinagar at around 8:30 PM that some boys had gone into Zabarwan hills and had not returned back. The boys had called for help.

The boys were suspected to have gone for some kind of trekking adventure as they hail from Nishat, close vicinity of Zabarwan hills.

“I quickly constituted a team to see options of rescuing them. Finally, our team showed great courage and started rescue operation,” Hussain said, adding, “It took them eight hours to locate these boys at 5:00 AM in the morning.”

He said that it took the team five hours to reach back to Nishat. “I along with Range Officer and BO will hand over the boys to SHO Nishat Police Station,” he added. The police officer, sources said, has been asked to carry their medical check-up and necessary action.