MUZAFFARABAD: In a heartbreaking incident, two brothers were swept away by strong currents of Jhelum River after jumping into it in succession on Wednesday, police and rescue officials said.

The incident occurred at about 4:30pm in Dharang village, located on the right bank of the river in the Chakothi sector of Jhelum Valley district.

According to preliminary reports, 16-year-old Kashif, son of Mohammad Yaqoob, jumped into the river after reportedly becoming distressed over receiving a supplementary result in his matriculation examination.

His 25-year-old elder brother, Waqas Yaqoob — an army soldier who was home on vacation — immediately dived in to save him but was also overwhelmed by the river’s powerful current.

As news of the incident spread, a large number of local residents and Rescue 1122 teams rushed to the site and launched a search operation.

Zahid Zaheer, a Rescue 1122 official, said rescue teams were scanning various points along the river in an effort to trace the missing siblings.

However, due to the high water discharge, no success had been achieved by sunset, he added. The tragic event marked the second such incident in Jhelum Valley district this month.

On July 15, a schoolteacher named Umar Uzair, a resident of Sawan village, also ended his life by jumping into Jhelum River. His body was found about 10 kilometres downstream four days later.

Published in Dawn, July 24th, 2025