Bodies of 3 soldiers trapped in avalanches in Kashmir recovered

Three soldiers trapped in an avalanche in Jammu and Kashmir’s Batalik were found dead on Friday.

Multiple avalanches tore through Batalik sector on Thursday as the Valley reeled under unprecedented rain and snow that swelled rivers and inundated vast areas. Two civilians are also missing after a vehicle they were travelling in skidded off the road and fell into a stream in Anantnag district. Five other passengers were rescued.

The administration declared floods in Kashmir’s summer capital Srinagar where the Jhelum’s water level rose alarmingly and shut education institutions for three days, officials said.

Kashmir experienced rare snowfall in April with vast areas blanketed in white due to the freak weather phenomenon.

An army spokesperson said the heavy snowfall triggered

multiple avalanches, burying one post in the Batalik sector.

Two out of five trapped soldiers missing were rescued on Thursday. Specially trained and

equipped avalanche rescue teams were deployed for the operations in the area. Incessant rains also led to the closure of the Jammu-Srinagar national highway.

With a large number of IAS as well as state officers and employees in Uttar Pradesh failing to declare their assets by the 15-day cutoff date on Thursday, the state government has decided to extend the deadline of filing the declaration to April 15.

“The deadline has been extended as most officers did not find time to complete the formalities and send the declarations from districts to the state government in view of closure of financial year on March 31,” said a senior official.

A day after assuming office, chief minister Yogi Adityanath had asked the officers to declare their assets in the prescribed format within 15 days.

“IAS officers have to file their assets every year and they will do so this year too. Some other service officers, however, may be finding the format a bit complicated,” said another official.

“The format seeks details about land or house etc owned by the officer or employee, including details about the inheritance or buying property.

“It also seeks details of the total investment made by the officer in shares along with details of deposits in bank accounts etc. We hope the officers and employees will give the declaration on the prescribed format only,” the official said.

Adityanath had asked his ministerial colleagues too to submit details about their assets.

Although public representatives declare their assets while filing nomination and most of the ministers did so for the 2017 assembly elections, the CM’s directives required them to declare their assets again after assuming office as minister.