Srinagar: Displaying the true traditions of “Kashmiriyat”, a tourist guide sacrificed his own life to save five people, including two visitors from West Bengal, after their raft capsized in Lidder river flowing through the picturesque South Kashmir resort town of Pahalgham.
Rouf Ahmed Dar, a registered professional rafter, cared little for his life and jumped into the river when the raft overturned near Mawoora after it was caught in a sudden gusty winds.
The five people, three locals and a couple from West Bengal, were onboard the raft when the tragedy struck it Friday evening at the rafting point in Pahalgham, 96 kms south of Srinagar. Quoting eyewitness, officials said that Dar, who was escorting the couple as a tourist guide, had initially swam to safety. But on seeing the others getting drawn into the the water, wasted no time and jumped into the water again and managed to save them, they said.
A search and rescue operation was launched immediately afterwards and teams of State Disaster Response Force were joined by the police and locals.
