Body of J&K native recovered from beneath debris in Kullu

The body of Gulzar Ahmed Lone, a resident of Ganderbal district in Jammu & Kashmir, was recovered today from beneath the debris of September 4 landslide in the Inner Akhara Bazaar of Kullu town.

This recovery follows the extraction of eight other victims who perished in twin landslides that struck the same locality on September 2 and 4. The first landslide, which occurred late at night on September 2, obliterated two rooms of a house owned by Neelkanth Sood and severely damaged adjacent structures. Two individuals were buried under the rubble that night, their bodies were recovered after four days.

On the morning of September 4, a second landslide thundered through the Inner Akhara Bazaar, burying six more people and killing one instantly. Three others were also injured in the incident, with one victim being referred to AIIMS-Bilaspur.

Rescue operation, led by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), police, and the district disaster management teams, was launched immediately. Despite relentless rain, unstable terrain, and the threat of further landslides, teams worked around the clock to find survivors.

Officials confirmed that the landslides were triggered by incessant rains that had saturated the hillsides, making them dangerously unstable. But for many in Kullu, the tragedy was not just a natural disaster, it was a preventable one. Residents have long voiced concerns about unchecked construction, poor drainage system and the lack of early warning infrastructure in vulnerable zones, especially the Math area.