Due to low visibility, sending helicopter not possible, efforts on to trace them: Officials
Jahangeer Ganaie
Anantnag, Feb 24 : Even after elapsing of over 48 hours, there are no traces of group of six men from Marwah area of Warwan in Kishtwar district who had went missing when they were on the way to their home from Anantnag via Margan top.
“Six persons are missing for nearly 48 hours on the way to their home in Warwan from Anantnag via Margan Top. It has been more than 48 hours since they made their last call from Margan Top and haven’t reached their homes till now,” DDC Marwah Sheikh Zafarullah said while speaking to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO).
There are apprehensions that the ‘missing’ men might have been caught in the snow as the snowfall is heavier in the upper reaches of South Kashmir, he said.
He identified the missing persons as Muhammad Akber Koka, Ghulam Nabi Koka, Ajaz Ahmad Koka, Gulzar Ahmed Koka, Manzoor Ahmed Koka and Idrees Ahmad Dar all from Choiudraman Warwan.
He said that there are few shelters at Margen top like one dhaba and some guest houses of government in the area and might have taken shelter there.
“Going there on foot is impossible so authorities must sent helicopter there or take help of air force so that they will rescue them if they will have survived there, otherwise, they will die because of cold or for want of food,” he said.
Meanwhile, family members and relatives of the missing persons on Thursday staged protest in Anantnag and demanded that helicopter must be sent to the area to rescue them and there is need of tunnel so that Marwah will get connected with Kokernag and such incidents won’t come to fore every year.
It is pertinent to mention here that at around 9 pm on Tuesday, one among missing persons had informed his wife on phone that they have moving through Margan top and in the same night heavy snow fall was recorded in Kashmir and since then there is no contact with them.
Meanwhile SDM Kokernag Sarib Sahran told KNO that due to low visibility in the area, they couldn’t sent an army helicopter there and had decided to go on foot, but due to snowfall they had to return back.
SDM who was himself leading the operation said that some more power machines are being sent to the area to clear snow and hopefully tomorrow SDRF team will join them to start rescue operation again.
“There is probability that they have crossed Margan top as their last call came from there and they were on via to Warwan but we can’t take risk and will make all efforts to see where will we reach with the help of air support and army,” Sahran said.
“We have already told army for helicopter and they were going to do it today but due to low visibility and snowfall in the area, couldn’t sent helicopter there,” he said.
Situation of weather is not friendly at all in the area and we are trying our best to rescue them and will try to give our best with all possible resources to rescue them, he added—(KNO)
