The flash flood caused by a cloudburst in South Kashmir Himalayas claimed the life of a retired policeman from Rajasthan’s Bikaner who had prevented many others from drowning. He was dragged away in raging floods close to the Amarnath cave shrine.
Former Sri Ganganagar traffic police station chief Sushil Khatri was identified as the deceased.
The catastrophe, which claimed the lives of 15 people and injured more than 40 more, also claimed Khatri’s relative Sunita Wadwa, who was also from the same state.
Khatri had retired from employment only nine days prior to the disaster and was one of the batch of 17 devotees who had departed Sri Ganganagar on July 3. Khatri, 61, had prepared a trip for his wife and children after his retirement. He was residing in a tent close to the Amarnath cave with a large group of Sri Ganganagar residents, including his relative Sunita and her husband Mohanlal.
The tents began to be washed away in the late afternoon as floodwaters began to pour in. Sri Ganganagar residents were in large numbers, including Khatri, his relative Sunita, and her husband Mohanlal. Prior to being washed away, Khatri saved numerous people.
President of the Amarnath Langar Seva Samiti, Sri Ganganagar, Navneet Sharma, confirmed the death of Khatri and stated that while he had not met Khatri, he had met Mohanlal Wadhwa and his wife Sunita Wadhwa, a cloth merchant from Sri Ganganagar, who were among the batch of 17 devotees from Sri Ganganagar.
