People demand compensation to poor families of deceased porters
Reyaz Rashid
Gulmarg, Jan 9: Two Army porters lost their lives in a tragic accident after slipping into a deep nallah in the snowbound Gulmarg sector of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district while moving towards a forward post near the Line of Control, officials said on Friday.
The deceased were identified as Layakat Ahmad Deedard (27), son of Ghulam Mohammad Deedard of Masjid Aagan, Chandoosa, and Ishfaq Ahmad Khatana (33), son of Jamaluddin Khatana of Pachar, Chandoosa.
Officials said the two were part of a group of civilian porters engaged in assisting the Army with logistical movement in the high-altitude forward area when they lost balance on a slippery, snow-covered stretch and skidded into a stream-ravine on Thursday afternoon.
Soon after the mishap, a large-scale joint rescue operation was launched by Army units and local rescue teams in the Gulmarg sector, which falls under the operational control of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps. Search operations were also extended to the Poonch sector in Jammu region, as it lies close to the location of the incident and falls under the jurisdiction of the Nagrota-based White Knight (16) Corps.
After sustained efforts amid harsh weather and treacherous terrain, the bodies of both porters were finally traced, recovered from under the snow and shifted for legal and medical formalities. Police have taken cognisance of the incident and further proceedings are underway to establish the exact circumstances.
The tragedy has cast a pall of gloom over Chandoosa and adjoining villages, where grieving families described the victims as their sole breadwinners. Both porters have left behind young widows and small children, old age parents, plunging their families into economic uncertainty. The mourning families and residents remembered the victims as hardworking and dedicated individuals who were supporting their families through porter duties with the Army.
Family members and locals have demanded adequate compensation and government support for the bereaved households, saying the two men had risked their lives daily in extreme conditions to earn a livelihood. “They were poor men working in dangerous areas to feed their families. The government must come forward to support their widows and children,” mourning relative Rafiq Ahmad said.
The upper reaches of Gulmarg have witnessed intermittent snowfall over the past fortnight, and freezing temperatures have made the terrain extremely slippery and hazardous. Authorities have once again urged strict adherence to safety protocols during winter operations in avalanche- and ravine-prone areas.