15 school children die in Kashmir boat capsize

Baramulla, May 30 (UNI) At least 15 school children, on an excursion, drowned as their boat capsized in Wullar lake in north Kashmir today, police said.

However, a defence spokesman said in Srinagar that ten bodies of boys and girls in the age group of 7-14 years have been recovered from the lake.

He said a teacher and 12 children were rescued from the lake.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has expressed grief and sorrow over the death of school children.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, Baramulla Mohammad Subhan Lone told UNI that 15 children of Borne Tyndle Public school, Handwara in Kupwara district died when their boat capsized in the Wullar lake in Watlab area of Sopore in Baramulla district this afternoon.

However, it was not yet clear how many children had gone for the excursion.

The spokesman said the school children were on a picnic to Wullar lake, the second largest Lake in Asia, in the Baramulla district.

The children had requested the Indian Navy men, deployed in the lake for counter-insurgency operations, to take them for a ride on the motorboat, he added.

He said the sailors after getting permission from their officer took the children in a boat. However, when the boat reached the middle of the Lake, it capsized.

Navy officials and others present there immediately jumped into the lake and saved a number of children, the spokesman added.

He said the teacher was in a state of shock and had been admitted to the Sub-District Hospital, Sopore UNI XC-AG HS HS1954