Shopian, May 1: Ashiq Hussain Wani, a resident of Heerpora in south Kashmir’s Shopian district, spent days combing the Rambiara river in search of a missing three-year-old boy before finally recovering the body on Friday.
The child, Mohammad Hanzallah of Tiken village, had drowned near Dubijan on Sunday, triggering a massive search operation involving teams from the SDRF, NDRF, police, and local volunteers.
Familiar with the river’s terrain, Wani joined the search along with his brother and other locals, scanning stretches of the river despite strong currents and freezing conditions.
On Friday morning, Wani and his father, Farooq Ahmad, moved nearly 4 km downstream from the spot where the child had gone missing, continuing the search in icy waters.
“In the middle of the river, I noticed a large boulder and felt the body could be trapped underneath,” Wani said.
He said his father cautioned him against entering the fast-flowing waters without safety gear, but he decided to proceed.
“I took the risk and checked beneath the boulder. As I reached under it, I felt a body,” he said. “I immediately called out to my father and some local boys on the riverbank, and we pulled the child out.”
Wani said he was deeply moved by the family’s grief. “I couldn’t bear their pain. The thought of his mother crying wouldn’t let me sleep. That’s why I continued the search until we found him,” he said.
He said the recovery brought an end to days of uncertainty for the family, even as the operation highlighted the risks faced by locals who join such efforts.
Authorities had been conducting search operations since Sunday, but strong currents and the river’s rocky terrain made the task difficult.
“The administration offered every possible help to locate the child,” said a relative of Hanzallah.
The body was later handed over to the family for last rites.
Concerns Over Social Media Conduct
Amid the rescue efforts, some residents alleged that a few individuals attempted to exploit the tragedy for visibility on social media.
“It is tragic that some people came here merely to upload pictures on their social media accounts,” said Zaid Raja, a local reporter and resident.
Others also claimed that a few individuals sought to draw political mileage from the incident, drawing criticism from the community.
