Shikara capsizes in Dal Lake during BJP rally

BJP had organised the rally with dozens of local leaders and activists on shikaras just as Jammu and Kashmir went into the sixth phase of the District Development Council (DDC) elections on Sunday.

A shikara carrying three Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) activists and three journalists capsized in Dal Lake here on Sunday during a boat rally led by BJP leaders including MoS (finance) Anurag Thakur, BJP’s national general secretary Tarun Chugh and BJP national spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain. Everyone was evacuated safely.

BJP supporters ride the boats during a Shikara rally organised by party leader and Union minister of state for finance Anurag Singh Thakur in Srinagar on Sunday. (ANI)

BJP had organised the rally with dozens of local leaders and activists on shikaras just as Jammu and Kashmir went into the sixth phase of the District Development Council (DDC) elections on Sunday.

“When the rally ended and the boats were returning towards the shore, one of them overturned. Three BJP activists and three journalists were on the boat and fell into water. All of them were rescued and are safe,” said BJP leader Aijaz Hussain.

While the journalists managed to swim towards the shore, other Shikara rowers managed to pull out the activists. Cameras of the journalists were damaged in the incident.

The sixth phase of DDC elections concluded on Sunday after voting was held in 31 constituencies - 14 from Kashmir and 17 from Jammu division.