Ganderbal/Srinagar, May 26: A pall of sorrow descended over Kashmir on Monday as thousands mourned the untimely death of Shameem Ahmad Mir, a dedicated forest guard who drowned in the treacherous waters of Nallah Sindh while on duty. His body was recovered after an exhaustive four-day search operation.
Mir, the son of Ghulam Muhammad Mir and a resident of Batwina in Ganderbal, slipped into the fast-flowing river near Paribal Chudina on May 23 during a routine forest patrol. A massive rescue mission—spearheaded by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Jammu and Kashmir Police, forest officials and scores of local volunteers—ensued immediately after the incident.
After relentless efforts, his body was finally retrieved near Gund Roshan. The mortal remains were taken to District Hospital Ganderbal for medico-legal formalities before being handed over to the bereaved family. His funeral saw an outpouring of public grief as a sea of mourners gathered to pay their last respects.
“He was not just a forest guard—he was a guardian of our green lifelines. His death is a loss not only to his family, but to all of us who cherish our forests,” said Mohammad Ashraf, a colleague from the Forest department.
“Shameem was known for his humility and courage. He would never hesitate to go the extra mile for his duty. Today, he gave his life for it,” shared Abdul Qayoom, a local elder from Batwina.
Tragically, Mir’s death was not the only sorrow to weigh upon the Valley this week. Two separate incidents involving children have left Kashmir heartbroken.
In Noorbagh, Srinagar, the lifeless body of 13-year-old Innayat Ahmed Ganie, fondly known as Anees, was recovered from the River Jhelum. The boy, a resident of Palapora, Goripora, had gone missing on 22 May. Days of coordinated searching by SDRF and local rescuers ended in tragedy when sand diggers near Chochen Faqeer, Takanwaripora spotted the body and alerted authorities.
“It was every parent’s nightmare. We kept praying for a miracle, but it wasn’t meant to be,” said Ghulam Rasool Ganie, a neighbour of the grieving family.
In another heartbreaking case, a two-year-old girl from Kumdallan village, Shopian, was found dead near a stream just hours after she was reported missing on Monday morning. Despite a swift and frantic search effort led by villagers and the police, she could not be saved. “She was barely out of her infancy. How can such a small child vanish and meet such a fate so quickly?” asked Shakeela Bano, a tearful relative at the funeral. Meanwhile, another operation is underway in Srinagar after an unidentified individual reportedly jumped into the River Jhelum near Zaina Kadal bridge. SDRF’s Quick Response Team, in coordination with the River Police, has launched a search to retrieve the body. These successive tragedies have plunged the region into deep grief, prompting urgent calls for increased public safety measures along water bodies—especially as summer draws families and children closer to rivers and streams. “There is a dire need to install safety barriers, increase awareness, and strengthen community vigilance near water bodies,” urged Zubair Ahmad, a disaster management volunteer. Police have taken cognizance of all these incidents and initiated necessary proceedings. The series of tragedies has sent shockwaves across the Valley leaving many parents worried.
