Srinagar, Jun 2: The Indian Army has rescued civilians who were stranded in the Kishanganga River due to strong currents in the Gurez sector of Jammu and Kashmir’s Bandipora, officials said on Tuesday.
The civilians were trapped in their vehicles in the Chakwali area of north Kashmir’s Gurez Valley after their vehicles became trapped in strong currents during Monday night, they said.
The Kishanganga River flows from the Indian side of Kashmir into Pakistan-administered Kashmir, where it changes its name to the Neelum River.
Amid the ongoing heatwave in Kashmir Valley, tourist footfall has increased in the picturesque Gurez Valley, located close to the Line of Control (LoC), as visitors seek respite from the scorching temperatures.
According to officials, the incident occurred during the night when several people found themselves stranded in the river amid difficult conditions and rising waters.
On receiving information, Army personnel launched a rescue operation and safely evacuated the stranded civilians, they said.
The rescued individuals were provided immediate assistance, including blankets and other essential support, officials added.
The rescued persons expressed gratitude to the Army for the timely intervention.
“We were stuck in the river when Army jawans came and rescued us,” one of the rescued civilians said.
Another resident said the soldiers helped them in every possible way during the operation.
