PoK authorities hand over bodies of two missing persons who had jumped into Jhelum river to Indian officials

By Editor in Chief On Mar 23, 2025

Authorities from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) formally handed over the bodies of two individuals who had drowned in the Jhelum River earlier this month to their Indian counterparts at the Kaman Post along the Line of Control (LoC) on Saturday, officials confirmed.

The deceased were identified as Yasir Hussain Shah, a resident of the Busgran area of Uri in Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla district, and Asiya Bano, from the Kundi Barjala area of Uri. The two had reportedly jumped into the river on March 5, prompting an extensive search operation.

Despite continuous efforts to locate them, the search teams were initially unsuccessful. However, on March 20, Shah’s body was seen floating near the Kaman Post along the LoC in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

“Police and rescue teams immediately attempted to recover the body, but due to the strong water currents, it drifted to the other side of the LoC,” an official stated.

Following this, Indian authorities formally raised the matter with their counterparts in PoK, requesting assistance in retrieving the bodies. Responding to the request, the PoK authorities successfully located and recovered the remains of both victims from the river.

A coordinated meeting was held on Saturday at the Kaman Post in Uri, where officials from both sides of the LoC, along with representatives from the Indian Army, Uri administration, and families of the deceased, were present. The Indian delegation included the Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Station House Officer (SHO), Naib Tehsildar, and other local officials. A medical team was also in attendance to examine the bodies before the formal handover.

During the meeting, PoK authorities handed over the remains to Indian officials, ensuring that the grieving families could conduct the final rites.

The tragic incident occurred on March 5, when Shah and Bano allegedly jumped into the Jhelum River near Dulanja village, close to the LoC. Their disappearance led to a days-long search effort that finally concluded with the cross-border cooperation between the two sides.