MANSEHRA: Fourteen members of a family and the driver drowned when a van plunged into the Indus River in Panibah area of Upper Kohistan district on Monday.

“We have fished out the body of a woman stated to be wife of the family’s head, and search for rest of the victims is underway,” Upper Kohistan district police officer Arif Javed told reporters.

He said the van carrying family members of Shattar Khan was on way to Rawalpindi from Chilas area of Diamer district via the Karakoram Highway. The vehicle skidded off the road and plunged into the river after the driver lost control over the steering, he added.

“The police, Rescue 1122 and local divers have been taking part in the rescue operation, but flooding in the river is hampering the operation,” Mr Javed said.

The police officer said the family head, Shattar Khan, who also died in the accident, had gone into hiding after killing a local cleric last month when he gave a decree that he (the deceased) could not keep his former wife with him after divorcing her.

DPO Javed said the deceased was secretly shifting his family to Rawalpindi.

Those who died in the incident were identified as van driver Khush Alam, Shattar Khan, Watif Khan, Bariat Khan, Maqsood Khan, Mohammad Khursheed, Sakhawatullah, Sadina Bibi, Biyana Bibi, Adeem Bibi, Fareen Bibi, Neelam Bibi and her daughter Tasleem Bibi, Banafsha and Mohammad Nosher.

Published in Dawn, June 8th, 2021