Six tourists from Maharashtra hurt, three rescued in Kashmir

Srinagar, May 18 (UNI) At least nine tourists, including four women and two children, from Maharashtra were rescued after their rafting boat overturned in river Lidder at the famed hill resort of Pahalgam in south Kashmir today, wounding six of them.

Station House Officer (SHO), Pahalgam Shabir Ahmed said the rafting boat carrying nine tourists from Maharashtra capsized when the navigator failed to control it due to high tides in the river.

The SHO said the group had gone for rafting in the river Lidder, about one km upstream from Pahalgam. The raft was provided by the Himalaya Rafting Club, which has been permitted by the state Tourism Department to conduct rafting rides for tourists, he added.

As their raft reached near Hotel Heevan, the boat capsized, throwing all the tourists in icy cold waters of river Lidder.

Putting their own lives at risk, police with the help of locals rescued the nine tourists, he added.

The SHO said out of the rescued tourists, four identified as Julie Mehta, Nihal Kanya, Jagruti Aggarwal and Divya Aggarwal were taken to the Pahalgam hospital. Three of them were immediately discharged after first aid while Julie Mehta was shifted to the District Hospital Anantnag for treatment. Doctors have stated her condition as stable.

The other tourists have been identified as Meena Prakash, Prakash Shah, Nimesh Mehta, Suman Prakash and Purab Shah.

However, sources said six tourists were wounded in the raft capsize. While four had been discharged immediately after the first aid, two were undergoing treatment in the hospital, they added.

UNI