Four Bodies Recovered from Landslide Debris in Kullu Market

The bodies of Bekar Ahmed Mir from Kupwara, Kashmir, and Narendra Thakur from Byasar village, Kullu, were recovered from the debris of a devastating landslide that occurred on the night of 2nd September. The landslide completely destroyed two rooms of Neelkanth Sood’s house in Inner Akhara Bazaar, Kullu, while several other structures were also damaged.

On the morning of 4th September, another landslide struck the same area, resulting in the recovery of the bodies of Hussain and Tahir Sheikh from Ganderbal and Bandipora in Kashmir, respectively.

Yesterday, rescue teams recovered the bodies of Abdul Rashid Sheikh and Sajjad Ahmed Wani from Ganderbal, along with a local resident, Suman, all of whom had been buried under the debris.

The mutilated body of Suman drew a crowd of grieving onlookers upon being pulled from the rubble. Her family was inconsolable. Abdul Rashid Sheikh’s brother broke down in tears at the site, while local residents expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy. Many blamed authorities for ignoring repeated warnings to implement preventive measures that could have averted the disaster.

This morning, three bodies were transported to Srinagar. Kullu Deputy Commissioner, Torul S Ravish, confirmed that the bodies of Abdul Rashid Sheikh, Sajjad Ahmed Wani, and Meharajuddin Lone were taken by road to Chandigarh late on Friday night and then flown to Srinagar at 5:30 a.m. today. The bodies arrived at Srinagar airport by 7:30 a.m. Due to halted helicopter services and a yellow alert for heavy rainfall issued by the meteorological department, the bodies were transported by road in the presence of police and grieving family members.

The Deputy Commissioner stated that the state government has made all necessary arrangements to ensure that the bodies are transported to their native villages. The district administration has also provided immediate relief to affected families. He remarked, “This is a tragic incident, and the state government stands with the bereaved families during this difficult time.”

He further informed that eight people were trapped in debris from landslides that struck on 2nd and 4th September, with one confirmed death. The administration, along with NDRF, police, and disaster management teams, continues to carry out rescue operations around the clock to retrieve the bodies and assist survivors.