Four students drown in Neelum River

A harrowing incident unfolded in the picturesque Neelum Valley as four students tragically drowned while swimming in the Neelum River. Local divers have launched a daring rescue operation to locate and save the missing youngsters in a race against time.

Despite authorities having imposed restrictions on river swimming in the Neelum Valley, residents lamented the ineffective enforcement of the ban, leading to this heartbreaking mishap.

According to locals, the four students hailed from the Kel area in the Neelum Valley. “Two of the drowned students were in the 11th grade, while the other two were in the 12th grade and were not well-versed in swimming,” shared one resident, underscoring the lack of expertise that contributed to the tragedy.

The district administration had previously enforced a prohibition on swimming in the Neelum River, invoking Section 144 to safeguard the lives of residents and visitors alike.

A circulating video on social media showcases the courageous efforts of local divers as they embark on a perilous mission to locate the missing students underwater. These rescuers, devoid of professional diving gear, exemplify the spontaneous nature of their response to the crisis.

In another video, a local diver is seen successfully retrieving a student from the river’s deep waters, bringing him to safety.

The four students, now missing and feared drowned, are identified as Yaser, son of Bashir, aged 17; Adeel Afzal, son of Muhammad Afzal, aged 17; Shahid Parvez, son of Parvez Iqbal, aged 19; and Basit Roshan, son of Roshan, aged 18, as per local sources.

This heart-wrenching incident underscores the critical need for more stringent enforcement of swimming bans in the region and serves as a stark reminder of the risks associated with recreational activities in potentially hazardous waters.

Efforts to locate and rescue the missing students persist, even in the face of the challenging conditions presented by the Neelum River.