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Srinagar, Leaders of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) have expressed profound grief and sorrow over a devastating incident in the Batwara area of Srinagar where a boat carrying school children and locals capsized in the Jhelum River, resulting in six deaths with others still missing.
According to Kashmir Media Service, APHC senior leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq issued a statement in Srinagar emphasizing the community’s urgent need for improved safety measures to prevent such tragedies. He expressed his condolences to the bereaved families and called for unity and support within the community to aid those affected by the calamity. “We humbly pray to Allah to grant patience and strength to the families of the deceased during this incredibly difficult time,” stated Mirwaiz.
The Mirwaiz also criticized the administrative indifference of the New Delhi-installed regime in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), highlighting the government’s failure to complete a footbridge that has been under construction for over 15 years. The lack of a bridge forced students and the public to rely on boats for river crossing, leading to this tragic accident.
Agha Syed Hasan Al-Moosvi Al-Safvi, another senior APHC leader, also expressed deep sorrow over the incident and extended his heartfelt condolences to the families who lost their loved ones.
Furthermore, APHC-AJK leader Sheikh Abdul Majid, in a statement from Islamabad, lamented the incident as a result of the “criminal negligence” of the Indian occupation authorities. He underscored that the avoidable tragedy stemmed directly from the administrative failings in IIOJK.
The incident occurred early Tuesday morning near the Batawara area of Srinagar, claiming the lives of six individuals, including five minor students. Rescue operations led to the saving of five individuals while three others remain missing.