TAUSEEF AHMAD
SRINAGAR, Jan 09: The family of a young porter from Baramulla district, who lost his life while performing hazardous duty in the snowbound upper reaches of Gulmarg, has made an emotional appeal to the Union Home Ministry for compensation and rehabilitation, stating that the tragic incident has reduced them to abject poverty and uncertainty.
Ishfaq Ahmad Khatana (33), a resident of Pachar village in the Chandoosa area of Baramulla, died after accidentally slipping into a nallah while on duty as a porter with the Indian Army in the Upper Gulmarg sector. The area remains extremely inaccessible during winter months due to heavy snowfall, sub-zero temperatures, and treacherous terrain.
Ishfaq was the sole breadwinner of his family, which comprises his elderly parents, a young widow, and two minor children. With his untimely death, the family says it has been left completely destitute, with no source of income or support to meet even basic survival needs.
Speaking to Kashmir Despatch over the phone, Ishfaq’s grieving father, Jamal-ud-Din Khatana, said the family’s world has collapsed overnight. “My son was the only earning member of our family. I am old and physically incapable of working anymore. We have no land, no savings, and no other source of livelihood. His death has left us with nothing,” he said, his voice choked with emotion.
The bereaved father appealed to the Government of India, particularly the Union Home Ministry and Defence authorities, to come to their aid by providing immediate financial compensation along with long-term rehabilitation measures to ensure the future of Ishfaq’s widow and children. “If the government does not help us now, my grandchildren’s future will be completely ruined,” he added.
Residents of Pachar village and local elders have also rallied behind the family, urging authorities to take swift and compassionate action. They said Ishfaq had taken up porter work in extremely risky conditions due to acute poverty and the lack of employment opportunities in the area. “This is not just one family’s tragedy; the entire village is grieving. Ishfaq accepted dangerous work only to feed his family,” a village elder said.
The locals demanded adequate compensation and urged the government to consider providing a government job to one eligible member of the deceased’s family as a rehabilitation measure. “Such families sacrifice their lives while supporting security forces in forward areas. They should not be abandoned after such tragedies,” the elder added.
It is pertinent to mention that Ishfaq was among two porters who lost their lives after slipping into a nallah while carrying essential supplies towards the Anita Post in the upper reaches of Gulmarg. The second deceased was identified as Layakat Ahmad Deedard (27), a resident of Masjid Aagan, Chandoosa.
Following the incident, rescue teams launched an overnight search operation under extremely harsh weather conditions. The bodies of both porters were later recovered, bringing an end to a tense search but leaving behind grieving families and unanswered questions about their future.
The tragic incident has once again highlighted the risks faced by civilian porters working in high-altitude and snowbound areas, as well as the urgent need for institutional support and safety measures for families left behind after such losses.
