Srinagar: Ghulam Muhammad Guroo, a 60-year-old Kashmiri boatman, drowned in Jhelum river in Srinagar while saving three tourists after the shikara (water gondola) they were riding capsized last week. His corpse was fished out of the river on Monday.
According to witnesses, Guroo rescued the tourists but was swallowed by a wave as he tried to salvage a bag belonging to one of them.
The incident took place beneath the Fatah Kadal footbridge in the heart of old Srinagar city on Wednesday evening. Rescuers were trying to retrieve his body since.
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti visited Guroo’s family on Monday to personally offer her condolences. She called him “our hero” and said that the boatman from City’s Rajbagh locality has by his valiant act set another glaring example of ‘Kashmiriyat’, the ethno-national and social consciousness and cultural values of the Kashmiri people.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti, visited the house of boatman Ghulam Muhammad Guroo to condole his death and express solidarity with his wife, two children and other members of the bereaved family on Monday.
She said, “I want to give this message that some media men – not all – who are only showing the militant or other image of our land must know that (that) is not the real picture of Kashmir.” The real picture, she asserted, was shown by Ghulam Muhammad Guroo who sacrificed his own life while saving his ‘guests’. She added, “He has shown what Kashmiriyat is all about. I salute such a brave-heart.”
Taking a dig at sections of national media, particularly TV channels she reiterated, “I want to send this message across the country that some sections of media have given a bad name to Kashmiris by calling them stone-pelters and militants. This is not the real picture....the real picture of Kashmir was portrayed by this shikarawala. I salute him and his bravery.”
Earlier, Mufti assured the family of the deceased that the state government would provide them all possible help including financial assistance. The Chief Minister ordered disbursement of Rs 1 lakh ex-gratia in cash.
