Search intensifies for missing boy swept away in Shopian’s Rambi Ara

Rescue teams in south Kashmir’s Shopian district continued an intensive search operation for a third consecutive day on Tuesday to locate a three-year-old boy who drowned in the Rambiara river in Shopian district, officials said.

The child, identified as Mohammad Hanzallah, son of Nighar Ahmad and a resident of Tiken village in neighbouring Pulwama district, was swept away by the river’s current on Sunday near Dubijan area. Teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and J&K police have been deployed at the site, conducting extensive searches along the river stretch in an effort to retrieve the body.

Officials said the operation has been intensified, with rescuers combing both banks of the river and using specialised equipment to trace the missing child. However, no breakthrough had been reported till late Tuesday evening. Deputy Commissioner Shopian, Shishir Gupta and Senior Superintendent of Police Mushtaq Ahmad Choudhury visited the site during the day to assess the situation and supervise the ongoing efforts. They directed the teams to expedite the search operation and ensure all possible measures are taken. The incident has cast a pall of gloom over the area, with locals joining the anxious wait for the child’s recovery.