In the aftermath of Gandbal boat tragedy, tales of heroism and sacrifice emerge. From a father’s desperate attempt to save his son to a mother’s unwavering love for her twins, the community mourns the loss of its brightest souls.
During my visit to the area, I was immediately struck by the heart-wrenching scenes unfolding before me. The anguish on the faces of mothers, their eyes devoid of tears after having wept so much, conveyed the immense pain they were enduring.
In the midst of the mournful atmosphere of Gandbal hamlet, the voices of mothers calling out to their little ones resonated with desperation and fear. “Stay indoors, don’t venture outside,” they pleaded, their words tinged with urgency stemming from the depth of their sorrow. Children, typically brimming with playful laughter and boundless energy, now traversed the village with caution, their innocent countenances marked by fear.
I watch as they cling to the safety of their homes, their once carefree spirits dampened by the specter of tragedy that looms over the village. Even the simplest of tasks, like venturing outside to play, are met with hesitation and uncertainty.
In hushed tones, I overhear murmurs among the children, their voices trembling as they ask each other, “Should we go that way?” Their fear is palpable, a tangible presence that hangs in the air like a heavy shroud.
As I bear witness to their collective sorrow, I am reminded of the fragility of life and the profound bond between a parent and their child—a bond that transcends even the darkest of days. It is a bond forged in the innocence of youth, nurtured through countless moments of laughter and love, and strengthened by the shared dreams and aspirations of a lifetime.
Yet, in the face of tragedy, that bond is tested like never before. It becomes a lifeline, a beacon of hope amidst the storm of sorrow that threatens to engulf them. And though their hearts may ache with the pain of loss, they find solace in the memories they hold dear, in the legacy of love left behind by their precious children.
Gandbal, an unfortunate village situated on the west bank of the River Jhelum, facing significant challenges due to the lack of proper connectivity. However, the promise of opportunities across the river in the Batwara area made it crucial for the villagers—relied mostly on boats to cross the river, hoping to access the opportunities that awaited them.
The village, situated just a few kilometers south of Srinagar city—tragedy struck with devastating force—the typically calm waters of the Jhelum, vital for the community’s livelihood, turned into a merciless adversary, claiming six lives, including three from a single family. This sudden and tragic event sent shockwaves through the tight-knit neighborhood, leaving its residents grieving and in disbelief.
On that fateful Tuesday, the routine innocence of ferrying schoolchildren, along with some working men and women, and parents accompanying their children to school, across the river was shattered by a collision with the unforgiving pillar of an under-construction bridge. The boat, carrying the hopes and dreams of young souls, splintered under the force of the impact, leaving behind a trail of devastation.
Amidst the chaos, some managed to swim to safety, while school children on board , like fledgling birds still learning to fly, couldn’t withstand the force of the gushing currents of the Jhelum and were swept away. Some fortunate souls clambered onto the wreckage of the boat, where they were luckily rescued by local responders.
As the news rippled through the village, a sense of disbelief and anguish descended upon the embankment. With no road connectivity except on its west via Padshahi Bagh, the village had always relied on the river as its lifeline. But on this day, that lifeline turned into a conduit of sorrow, separating families from their loved ones.
The stoic resolve of the rescuers stood as a beacon of hope, as they tirelessly worked to retrieve the bodies from the unforgiving currents. But with each lifeless form pulled from the water, the anguish of the onlookers intensified, mingling with the haunting echoes of inconsolable wails.
A Father’s Sacrificial Act
According to an eyewitness wishing anonymity, Showkat Ahmad, a devoted father, heroically leaped back into the Jhelum River in an attempt to save his son, Haziq, from the perilous currents. Despite his efforts, both father and son tragically drowned as Showkat struggled against the river’s unforgiving tides.
Showkat, a skilled mason, had set out that Tuesday morning to accompany his son, Haziq, to school. The school, situated on opposite sides of the Jhelum, never received them back, as the boat they were traveling in capsized.
A neighbor described Showkat as a dependable figure in his family, the sole brother among six sisters, and a hardworking individual. The loss of Showkat, a mason known for his integrity and diligence, has deeply shaken the community.
As the community grapples with mourning, the memory of Showkat’s selfless act remains haunting. Despite briefly reaching safety, he made the ultimate sacrifice, plunging back into the water upon witnessing his son’s struggle. The tragic incident has left an indelible mark on Gandabal, with locals struggling to come to terms with the loss of innocent lives.
Meanwhile, an elderly woman, the mother of Showkat and his son Haziq, anxiously awaits news about her missing loved ones following the boat capsizing in the Jhelum river in Gandbal, Jammu and Kashmir. Blinded and reliant on a walking stick, she expresses her profound anguish, grappling with the uncertainty of her family’s fate. In another heart-wrenching account, a man mourns the devastating loss of his wife and twin sons in the same tragic incident, struggling to comprehend the sudden absence of his beloved family members.
Tragic End: A Mother’s Sacrifice and the River’s Unyielding Toll
Amidst the tragedy, a mother stood with her twin sons, their innocence forever lost to the river’s embrace as they were laid to rest in a shared grave—a poignant reminder of the irreplaceable void left behind. Tragically, she, along with her twin sons, lost their lives in the incident. Firdousa Fayaz, aged forty-five, was accompanying her twin sons, Tahir Fayaz and Mudasir Fayaz, both seven years old, on their way to school in Batwara when the boat they were traveling on capsized in the swollen Jhelum river on Tuesday.
Neighbors recall Firdousa as a devoted mother who always looked after her children. Adnan Ashraf, a resident of Gandbal, mentioned that Firdousa and her two sons were buried together in a single grave, leaving her husband and the father of the children alone.
Out of the fifteen people aboard the boat, six lost their lives in the accident, while three others, including the father-son duo mentioned earlier, are still missing. The deceased also include Raziya, a Class 11 student at Kendra Vidyalaya School, attended by Tahir and Mudasir, as well as Shabir Ahmad Bhat, aged 34, who worked as a laborer, and Gulzar Ahmad Dar, aged 40.
Efforts are ongoing to locate the missing individuals, which include Farhan Waseem Parray, a Class 2 student, Haziq Showkat Sheikh, a Class 3 student, and his father Showket Ahmad Sheikh. The bags belonging to the students were swept away and found by residents of Chattabal, approximately 8 km from the site of the tragedy.
These parents, whose hearts once bloomed with the promise of their children’s futures, now find themselves consumed by an endless night of grief and despair. Each day dawns with a heavy burden, the weight of their loss pressing down upon them like a suffocating blanket.
In the quiet moments of reflection, as the village mourns in unison, I am reminded of the resilience of the human spirit. For even in the depths of despair, these parents find the strength to carry on, to honor the lives of their children in the only way they know how—by holding onto hope, by cherishing the memories, and by embracing the love that will forever bind them together, even in death.
In the face of such profound loss, the village of Gandbal stands united in mourning, as the waters that once sustained them now serve as a cruel reminder of lives cut short and dreams left unfulfilled. And as the sun sets over the horizon, casting a somber hue over the landscape, the atmosphere remains heavy with grief, echoing the collective lament of a community robbed of its brightest stars. As the sun dipped behind the mountains, painting the sky in golden hues, the chirping of Tickell’s Thrush filled the air. Its familiar song marked the onset of evening, bringing a sense of calm to those who listened. As the thrushes sang their final notes, the village grew quiet, ready to welcome the tranquility of the night.
Heart-rending consequences of Neglect
The absence of a footbridge in the locality has been cited as a key factor leading to the tragic incident, according to locals. They lamented that despite the commencement of work on the bridge eight years ago, it remains unfinished for reasons unknown. Urging authorities to investigate and hold accountable those responsible for the “murder” of school-going children, community members expressed frustration over the prolonged delay. In a video clip, an elderly resident emphasized the longstanding nature of the bridge’s construction, highlighting the detrimental impact of officials’ procrastination. Regardless of the reasons behind the delay, the lack of a bridge has inflicted hardship on the community, underscoring the urgent need for its completion.
Eyewitness accounts shed light on the circumstances of the accident, with one individual from UP stating that the boat collided with pillars of the under-construction bridge, leading to its damage and subsequent fragmentation. Conversely, another local opined that had the pillar not been present, the tragedy may have been averted.
“In either scenario, whether due to the unfinished construction of the sanctioned footbridge, resulting in the collision with an under-construction pillar, or the inherent dangers of crossing the river without a bridge, villagers have endured significant suffering,” lamented one local resident, highlighting the devastating toll of this man-made disaster.
“One day these kids went to school and never returned. A smart city doesn’t mean making wider footpaths and LED lighting. This place is 4 km away from Lal Chowk and the construction of the footbridge wasn’t completed in a decade. We demand investigation and strict action,” a social media user expressing outrage after the tragedy.
Note: Inputs for the father’s act of love and the mother’s sacrifice section were sourced from agencies, while the rest of the story reflects firsthand observations and experiences gathered by the journalist reporting on the ground.
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