A 25-year-old tourist guide lost his life while saving five people after their raft capsized in Lidder river flowing through south Kashmir’s Pahalgam. The incident happened late on Friday, when a couple from West Bengal, along with their guide and two locals, insisted Dar to take them rafting in Lidder river. According to an official, Dar accompanied the five as their tourist guide despite locals advising him against it due to the strong river currents. The raft capsized at a rafting point in Mawoora, Pahalgam, after it was caught in a sudden gust of wind and all the people on board fell. Dar rescued all five but, while helping others, the strong river currents swept him away.
Chief Executive Officer (Pahalgam), Nasir Ahmad Lone, said, “The boat with the two Kolkata-based tourists, identified as Namesh Kumar Saraf and his wife Sarita, a guide and two locals on board capsized around 7:15 pm.’’ Dar’s body was retrieved on Saturday morning and was handed over to his relatives after formalities, said an official. Lone added that Dar was wearing all the safety gears but drowned due to the strong currents. “He could be identified due to his life-saving jacket and helmet,” he said. Lone said the timing of the rafting was very risky. “At that time, the water level was high in the river due to melting of snow.’’