Srinagar, Jul 04: Personnel of the Security Wing of the Jammu and Kashmir Police recovered a lost bag containing cash, jewellery, an Apple iPhone and important documents and returned it to an Amarnath pilgrim after a swift search operation at the Baltal base camp.
According to police, the incident occurred on July 3 at around 8 pm when heavy congestion was witnessed at the X-ray screening point in Baltal due to a large influx of pilgrims undertaking the annual Amarnath Yatra.
Amid the rush, Ravi Pangwani and his wife, residents of Chhattisgarh, reported that one of their bags had gone missing. The couple informed security personnel that the bag contained an Apple iPhone, cash, jewellery and important documents and requested immediate assistance, saying they would remain at the site until it was traced.
Taking the matter seriously, the Security Wing of the J&K Police launched a search operation and sought assistance from the CCTV monitoring team. Footage from surveillance cameras helped identify a person carrying the missing bag away from the frisking point.
Police said local tent operators identified the individual as Ghulam Rasool, who runs a tent at the Baltal base camp. Security personnel traced him within about 30 minutes and recovered the bag from his tent, where a group of eight pilgrims led by Arun Pladha from Madhya Pradesh was staying.
During the inquiry, it emerged that Rasool had inadvertently picked up the bag along with the luggage of the pilgrims staying in his tent. The missing bag had been placed with the other pilgrims’ belongings and there was no indication of any deliberate attempt to misappropriate it.
The recovered bag was returned to the couple after they verified that all the cash, jewellery, mobile phone and documents were intact.
The couple expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Jammu and Kashmir Police, particularly the Security Wing personnel, for their prompt response and professionalism in recovering their belongings, police said.
