Anantnag, Jun 19: A horse was rescued on Friday after falling into an uncovered sewer manhole along the Khanabal-Pahalgam (KP) road near the Fire Service Station at Sarnal in Anantnag town, triggering concerns over public safety.
The animal was found trapped inside the drain early in the morning.
Locals said it had apparently fallen into the manhole during the night while moving along the footpath.
Residents gathered at the spot and made repeated attempts to rescue the horse but were unable to pull it out.
Workers of the Municipal Council Anantnag later reached the site and launched a rescue operation with the assistance of locals. To reach the trapped animal, rescuers broke a portion of the concrete slab around the manhole.
A JCB excavator was also pressed into service.
After nearly two hours of efforts, the horse was pulled out safely.
A veterinary doctor who examined the animal said it had escaped with only minor injuries.
Videos of the rescue operation were later shared widely on social media.
Senior journalist Javed Dar, while sharing a video of the incident on X, sought action from the district administration and questioned the quality and supervision of civic works.
“It raises serious questions about the quality of work and the supervision of the project by the concerned officials. Those responsible for approving, monitoring and executing such sub-standard work must be held accountable. I request the Deputy Commissioner (DC) Anantnag to take cognisance,” Dar wrote.
The incident has also renewed attention on uncovered manholes in the area, which residents said continue to pose a risk to pedestrians and motorists.
“We had appealed to the municipal authorities earlier too to cover these manholes, but to no avail,” said a shopkeeper. “There is a serious risk that a commuter, particularly a child, could fall into one of them.”
He said uncovered manholes frequently appear along the town’s roads and footpaths, creating a hazard for commuters.
Municipal Council Anantnag Secretary Asadullah said the civic body had received an estimate from the Roads and Buildings (R&B) Department for covering the remaining manholes and would forward it to the Director, Local Bodies, for administrative approval.
“Once we get the approval, all the manholes of the sewer drain will be covered,” he said.
Asadullah said most manholes along major roads had already been covered.
He, however, attributed the problem partly to theft of covers.
“We always ensure that the manholes are covered with concrete or metal lids, but more often than not they are stolen during the night,” he said.
