Rickshaw tragedy: 22 bodies retrieved from canal in DI Khan

DERA ISMAIL KHAN: The bodies of all 22 persons, including women and children, who had drowned into the Chashma Right Bank Canal (CRBC), were retrieved on Wednesday. Twenty-eight persons, including 16 women and 12 children, were going in a loader rickshaw to Sragarah village from Shah Ajmal area to attend a wedding ceremony last Monday.

The three-wheeler plunged into the canal when the driver lost control over the vehicle at the Jhangi point in the limits of Prova Police Station. As a result, all the passengers drowned in the canal. Soon after the incident, the locals rushed to the spot and launched a search operation to fish out the bodies and injured from the canal.

The locals rescued six women namely Sultana Bibi, Taju Bibi, 50, Aazumai, 40,Sadia Bibi, 10, Misbah Bibi and Ajwa Bibi and retrieved the bodies of four others. Later, divers from police, army and Rescue 1122 from Dera Ismail Khan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Taunsa Barrage were called out to launch a search for the remaining missing persons.

Additional Deputy Commissioner Noor Alam Khan Mahsud, Rescue 1122 District Emergency Officer Fazal Manan, Tehsildar Proa Circle Aslam Baloch andf others supervised the rescue operation.

The rescue teams along with locals continued the search for the last two days and finally succeeded to retrieve all the bodies from the canal.

Some of the dead were identified as Kulsoom Bibi, 30, Sakina Bibi, 40, Kausar Bibi, 35, Kulsoom Bibi, 28, Sufyan, 6, Balqees Bibi, 18, Mateen Bibi, 6, Sumaira Bibi, 10, Zarina Bibi, 6, Gulshan Bibi, 20, Tayyab, 4 and others.

All were the residents of Shah Ajmal area, who were going to Sragarah village for a marriage ceremony. Gloom prevailed in the area and moving scenes were seen when 22 funerals were taken out from Shah Ajmal area.