Srinagar, July 17, 2022 (PPI-OT):In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, demonstrating the hospitable and helpful nature of Kashmiris, a 22-year-old Muslim youth from south Kashmir Pahelgam area died while saving a Hindu Amarnath pilgrim from falling down a cliff. The yatri was riding his horse when Imtiyaz Ahmed Khan slipped into a crevice.

“He (Imtiyaz) was walking his horse when he realized that the yatri was sleeping. He seemed to be falling over from the saddle. He rushed to alert him and shook him up. As he was trying to wake him up fully, he lost his balance and fell down the cliff,” Nazir Ahmad Khan, his maternal uncle told the media from Chattergul village where the family is in deep mourning. He fell 300 feet below to the shock of fellow horsemen and pilgrim.

Ghulam Nabi Lone, president of the pony association, Pahalgam, said Khan tried to save the yatri who was dozing off on the horseback and seemed to fall off. “He woke him up but fell asleep himself- forever,” Lone said, sounding upset. The body of the young horseman was retrieved with great difficulty by police mountaineer rescue team.

Khan’s death has filled his family with grief and a spectre of a dark future looming large. Nazir says Khan used to support his wife, eight-month-old infant, his parents, and four siblings. “His father is partially blind and cannot do hard labour. His three sisters are yet to be married. How will the family survive now?” he asked. He said the family’s burden is likely to fall upon the Khan’s younger brother – all of 17.

Like Khan, there are many local heroes who put their lives on the line to save non-local guests. Shakeel Ahmad did not care for his own safety and dived into a roaring stream to rescue a drowning tourist in Tarsar lake near Pahalgam. The young mountaineer who had conducted expeditions to all great alpine lakes died young and met his creator.

In 2019, Rouf Ahmad Dar, a 32-year-old rafting guide, gave his life to save a group of people from drowning in the gushing waters of Lidder at Pahalgam. Likewise, 55-year-old Shikarawala Ghulam Mohammad Gurroo died saving a group of tourists from drowning in Jhelum in 2016.

For more information, contact:
Kashmir Media Service
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