RAMBAN, April 16 — A massive search operation for a missing youth, Tanveer Ahmad Chopan, who reportedly jumped into the Nallah Bishleri near Makarkoot along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway on Sunday, has entered its fifth day without any breakthrough, officials confirmed.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that the youth allegedly leapt into the fast-flowing stream following a chase by unknown individuals. Since his disappearance, multiple rescue teams have been extensively combing the nallah and adjacent areas down to its confluence with the Chenab River in an effort to locate him.
Police have arrested four individuals in connection with the incident, and a Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by SDPO Banihal Surinder Singh Biloria, has been constituted to investigate the case thoroughly.
Despite significant efforts and rescuers braving dangerous conditions in deep gorges and turbulent waters, the missing youth has not yet been found. Officials stated that rescue teams are meticulously scanning both banks of the nallah, as well as its deeper sections, in a bid to find any trace of Chopan.
The initial rescue operation was launched immediately by the local police and the Himalayan Quick Response Team (QRT) Ramsoo on Sunday. By Monday, the search effort was significantly bolstered with the addition of teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Banihal Volunteers (an NGO), the Civil QRT Ramban, QRT Khari, the Red Cross, and a contingent of expert divers from Doda, operating under the umbrella of Ababeel.
An official source indicated that the scope of the search operation has been expanded to cover the stretch from the incident site at Makarkoot all the way to Digdool and Battery Cheshma. “Heavy machinery has been deployed to divert the flow of water at several deep points in Nallah Bishleri to facilitate the search in otherwise inaccessible areas,” the official added, highlighting the challenging terrain and water conditions.
Meanwhile, a proposed public rally, organized under the banner “Justice for Tanveer,” which was announced by former NSUI president and senior Congress leader Advocate Feroz Khan and his associates, was denied permission by the police on Thursday. The rally was intended to commence from Dak Bungalow Ramban and proceed to the Deputy Commissioner’s office, with the stated aims of demanding justice for the missing youth and preventing similar incidents in the future.
Organizers of the proposed rally claimed that a substantial number of people from across the district were expected to participate in the peaceful march. However, they alleged that many individuals were prevented from reaching Ramban. Advocate Feroz Khan was reportedly summoned to Police Station Ramban on Thursday morning and informed of the denial of permission for the rally before being allowed to leave his office chamber.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
