MUZAFFARABAD: Two teenage boys died after falling into a raging water channel in Neelum valley of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Friday, an official said.

Izhar Qasim Butt, 17, and Mashkoor Shakoor Butt, 16, fell into Jagran Nullah from an under-construction RCC bridge near Shangosh village after losing balance and were immediately swept away by the violent current, Akhtar Ayub, district disaster management officer in Neelum, told Dawn by telephone.

Shangosh village is located 5 kilometres away from the town of Kundal Shahi along the icy Jangran nullah which eventually merges into Neelum river and has claimed many lives, including those of tourists, in the past. Mr Ayub said both boys, who were respectively students of 1st year and 10th grade, were working at the bridge as daily wagers to earn bread and butter for their families.

They were fished out near the intake of Kundal Shahi powerhouse, a few kilometres downstream, but were pronounced dead on arrival at a local health facility.

Published in Dawn, April 3rd, 2021