Jawahar tunnel avalanche:Two cops rescued, 7 bodies recovered

Two Jammu Kashmir Police cops were rescued alive and bodies 7 others including two prisoners were recovered from avalanche hit area near Jawahar tunnel in South Kashmir’s Qazigund on Friday while the efforts are on to trace another missing cop.

“Rescue mission is on at Jawahar Tunnel in Qazigund Kulgam. Two persons were rescued early in the morning and bodies of five policemen and two civilians have been recovered,” Deputy Commissioner Anantnag Mohd Younis Malik told Early Times.

He said that rescuers have expedited the rescue operation to trace another missing cop.

Two cops were rescued alive have been identified as SPO Mohammed Khalil of (Dog Squad) and SPO Ghulam Nabi @ Gulzar 305/Kulgam. Those whose bodies were recovered from the spot were identified as Fayaz Ahmad Parrey SG Fire man No:-1571, HC (Fire Service) Driver Firdous Ahmad No:- 181, Constable Arshad Gul Belt No. 1000/ Kulgamm, Head Constable Muzafer 125/ Kulgam,  Shabnam of  (Dog squad.) Kokernag, Vikram Singh s/o Kalvender Singh r/o Salan Talab Udhampore (Prisoner)  Baljeet Singh s/o Hari Singh R/ o Dera Baba Nanak Gurdaspore Punjab (Prisoner)

Ten people had gone missing after an avalanche hit a police post near Banihal tunnel on Thursday late evening. The missing people comprise six policemen, two fire service personnel and two prisoners.

 As per reports, Police, Army and CRPF had launched a rescue operating on late Thursday evening but couldn’t reach avalanche hit area due to heavy snowfall.  

“On Friday morning, Local residents of Lowermunda Qazigund and Omoh-Verinag along with the Army, Police, CRPF and SDRF launched a rescue operation. It did took us a lot of time in reaching here because during the night fresh avalanches had covered the road a several spots but we continued our efforts and reached here,” Socio-political activist, Advocate Farooq Ahmad Ganie told this reporter at avalanche hit area.

He said that thickness of avalanche was very large and has buried the Police Post completely. “We rescued tow persons alive and hoped we can rescue more but couldn’t. So far seven dead bodies of have been recovered,” Ganie said.