Jhelum Valley: A first-year student tragically fell into the Jhelum River and died while crossing via a chairlift (locally known as “Doli”) from the border town of Chakothi to Mera Bakot in Jhelum Valley District.
The incident has led to conflicting accounts from the chairlift owner and the family of the deceased. Police have taken the chairlift owner into custody for further investigation. The atmosphere in the area is one of mourning, with every eye filled with tears.
Details reveal that Subhan, son of Muhammad Ilyas Malik, a resident of Mera Bakot, drowned in the Jhelum River after falling from the chairlift near Chakothi while returning home from Chinnari after taking his biology first-year exam.
Upon receiving the report, Rescue 1122 and Crime Police Unit Chakothi, led by Officer Muhammad Arif Awan, reached the site. Officer Awan stated that an eyewitness and the chairlift owner claimed the student jumped into the river voluntarily and that the chairlift was functioning properly.
However, a relative of the deceased, Malik Yasir, disputed this, asserting that there was no reason for Subhan to jump into the river and demanded the truth be uncovered immediately. For the time being, the police have detained the chairlift owner, Abdul Qayyum, son of Alam Din, a resident of Mera Bakot, for further investigation.
Efforts to recover the student’s body are ongoing, and as of the last report, the body has not been found, adding to the distress of the student’s family.
Day Two: Suicide or Negligence? The Mystery Continues
The mystery surrounding the death of Subhan, the first-year student who fell from the chairlift into the Jhelum River, remains unresolved on the second day. The chairlift owner remains in police custody as efforts to locate the student’s body continue.
According to mobile phone location data, the body has crossed Hattian Bala, but neither the family nor search teams have been able to recover it from Chakothi to Kohala due to the river’s strong current. The student’s home and village remain in mourning.
Subhan’s wallet was found on the riverbank, confirming his identity. The police traced his mobile phone’s last location to Hattian Bala, indicating the phone remained active up to that point. Despite exhaustive search efforts, the body remains missing, exacerbated by the river’s strong flow.
The chairlift owner maintains that Subhan committed suicide, while two other individuals present at the scene stated that they saw the student falling from the middle of the chairlift. They reported that the owner called out to Subhan, drawing their attention to his fall. Subhan’s father passed away some time ago, leaving his mother, siblings, and other relatives in profound grief.
The student’s cousin, Yasir Malik, dismissed the possibility of suicide, noting that Subhan had no reason to be distressed even if his exam did not go well. He questioned why Subhan would choose this chairlift for suicide when he had ample opportunities along the way from Hattian to Chakothi.
Police Station House Officer Raja Yasir Ali Khan of Chinnari stated that a thorough investigation is underway, and the truth will be revealed soon. The chairlift remains operational at the request of local residents.
