Kargil child’s body found across border; leader urges mechanism for its return

The body of a child who had drowned in the Suru River in Kargil last month has been recovered across the border in Baltistan, highlighting recurring humanitarian concerns in the region.

The incident dates back to last month when two children drowned in the Suru River near Hundarman in Kargil. While one body was recovered immediately, the second remained untraced until now.

Kargil-based political leader Sajjad Kargili said the recovery of the child’s body from across the border underscores a long-standing humanitarian issue affecting families divided between Ladakh and Baltistan. “The border continues to witness such tragedies every year. Not only are the living separated, but even the deceased are often denied the dignity of returning to their homeland,” he said.

He noted that for decades, families across Ladakh and Baltistan have remained divided, and in cases where bodies are swept across the border due to river currents, they are often not returned.

Referring to similar incidents, he said that last year several bodies had to be buried in Baltistan due to the absence of a formal mechanism for their return. The latest recovery from Gangni in Baltistan, he added, is another painful reminder of the issue.

Kargili urged India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar to address the matter on humanitarian grounds.