The body of a police constable, who was carried away by flash floods during a rescue operation to evacuate stranded residents in Jhelum district, has been recovered after 24 hours and he was laid to rest with honour, the district police said on Friday.

Punjab government declared a state of emergency and imposed section 144 in several districts as heavy rains triggered flooding across the province. Data from the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) showed 61 people were killed and 268 injured, while more rains are expected in the coming days.

Dozens of villages were inundated in Jhelum district after unabated rainfall on Wednesday and Thursday, and a rescue operation was launched by the district administration to evacuate residents stranded amid flash floods.

During the rescue operation in Chotala area, six police constables were boarding a tractor trolley to evacuate local residents when the vehicle overturned due to raging floodwaters.

Consequently, constable Haider Ali Hussain was swept away, while others managed to survive. His body was recovered by Rescue 1122 divers after an extensive search operation.

Jhelum District Police Officer Tariq Aziz Sindhu told Dawn.com: “During the rescue efforts, the water flow suddenly intensified, and while saving citizens, he (police constable) lost his own life.”

He said the policeman went missing in the floodwaters and an operation was launched to locate and retrieve him with the assistance of drone surveillance and diving efforts. He paid tribute to the “ultimate sacrifice of the martyred constable”.

Jhelum Deputy Commissioner Syed Meisam Abbas said the severe flash floods in Jhelum, Sohawa and Pind Dadan Khan tehsils were successfully handled with the rescue mechanism directly monitored by the chief minister.

Abbas added that no residents were killed, except for the police constable. He said rescue officials, police, civil defence, and army personnel with assistance of helicopters made concerted efforts to rescue over 450 residents and their cattle from risky situations.

The constable’s funeral was held at Police lines Jhelum and was attended by police officers and provincial adviser Dr Azhar Mahmood Kiyani.

Inspector General of Punjab Police Usman Anwar issued a message on X, expressing his grief over the incident. “The brave constable attained martyrdom while helping flood victims, and his services would long be remembered by the police department,” the police chief said.

In a post on X, Minister of State Bilal Azhar Kiyani, who was monitoring the flood situation in his home district, paid homage and announced a financial compensation under the police martyrs’ package. He also appreciated the role of the district administration and rescue teams.

Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif, in a post on X on Thursday, expressed her “heartfelt appreciation to the brave officers of Jhelum Police for their extraordinary courage, swift response, and selfless commitment during the recent flash floods”.

“Rescuing over 400 stranded individuals in such perilous conditions is nothing short of heroic. Their unwavering dedication to public service is a testament to the strength and resilience of our law enforcement. They have proven themselves [as] the true guardians of our community,” she added.