Marine commandos launch search operation at Gandbal after suspected remains recovery

Srinagar, Jan 12: Marine commandos Monday launched a search operation in the Jhelum River at Gandbal in Srinagar following yesterday’s recovery of suspected human remains along the riverbank.

The deployment came after locals demanded that specialised marine forces be pressed into service to trace and retrieve the body believed to be linked to the April 2024 boat tragedy in the area. Locals had urged authorities to conduct a thorough underwater search to bring closure to the incident that claimed multiple lives.

Officials said the MARCOS team arrived at the spot earlier in the day and immediately began a coordinated search operation in the river stretch near Gandbal in the Soiteng area. The operation was underway at the time of filing this report.

The renewed search follows the discovery of suspected human remains along the bank of the Jhelum River, which triggered fresh hope among locals that the body of Showkat Ahmad Sheikh, missing since the tragic boat capsize, may finally be recovered.

Locals said that they had been seeking the involvement of marine commandos since the recovery, citing the depth and flow of the river as challenges for conventional search teams. They said the presence of specialised divers was crucial for a detailed operation.

Officials said the search will continue as per standard operating procedures and all findings will be subjected to forensic verification.

The April 2024 incident at Gandbal had left 8 persons, including school children, dead, while one person was untraceable despite extensive rescue efforts by multiple agencies, and the ongoing operation has revived hopes of long-awaited closure for the affected family and the local community. [KNT]