Gandabal Boat Tragedy: Search for Last Missing Victim Restarts After Foot Discovery
Search restarts for last missing victim in 2024 Gandabal boat tragedy after foot found in Jhelum River.
Nearly two years after the devastating Gandabal boat tragedy, search operations to trace the last missing victim resumed on Sunday following a grim discovery near the Jhelum River. A local sand dredging group recovered a semi-decomposed human foot a few kilometres from the site where the boat capsized in April 2024, prompting authorities to relaunch the hunt.
The recovery has renewed hope among the family of Showkat Ahmad Sheikh, a 40-year-old man who has remained missing since the incident. Eyewitnesses said the foot appeared old and partially decomposed when it was found near the riverbank, suggesting it may be linked to the long-unsolved case.
Police were immediately alerted and moved swiftly to cordon off the area. Search operations were restarted with the help of emergency rescue teams, who are now scanning the surrounding stretch of the river to locate any remaining body parts that could help complete the identification process.
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Forensic experts have taken custody of the recovered foot and sent it for medical examination and DNA analysis. Authorities are attempting to confirm whether the remains belong to Showkat Ahmad, whose body could not be recovered despite extensive searches following the tragedy.
The Gandabal incident occurred in April 2024 when a boat carrying schoolchildren and other passengers capsized after colliding with an under-construction bridge in Srinagar. Eight people, including several children, lost their lives, triggering widespread public outrage over long delays in the bridge’s construction, which has been pending since 2014.
In the aftermath, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha ordered a formal inquiry into the construction delays, though locals continue to allege serious administrative lapses. Search teams comprising the NDRF, SDRF, and elite Marine Commandos (MARCOS) had earlier conducted large-scale operations along the Jhelum River and have now resumed efforts with the assistance of quick response teams to bring closure to the tragedy.
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