JAMMU: The body of a Jammu telecom company staffer who disappeared over a month ago from a spot near the Chenab river in Akhnoor has been found downstream in Pakistan. Harash Nagotra’s family has appealed to PM Narendra Modi and other authorities for help in getting his body back home to perform the last rites.
“He (Nagotra) is suspected to have died by suicide by jumping into river after losing Rs 80,000 in online gaming,” a police official said.
Nagotra went missing near the river in Akhnoor’sBakor on June 11. His father Subhash Sharma and others looked for him and lodged a missing complaint with the cops the following day.
“According to Nagotra’s father, he received a call on Saturday from a civilian in Pakistan to identify a body recovered from a river in Sialkot. Nagotra had left behind his phone at home and his father was using it,” the police officer said.
Nagotra’s company ID card was found on him, helping the Pakistani civilian contact Subhash and alert the Pakistani authorities about the body, the police officer said. “A (Pak) official sent a photo of the ID card to Nagotra’s father to confirm his identity,” the officer added.
On Sunday, Nagotra’s family submitted a memorandum to police and sought govt help in getting his body back. Other than the PM, they have written to the ministry of external affairs (MEA) and the Union home ministry, sources said. “We also appeal to the Pakistani authorities to hand over the body so that we can perform the last rites according to our Hindu rituals,” a member of Nagotra’s family said in Akhnoor on Sunday.
Recent past offers hope of such help as a goodwill gesture. In Aug 2022, Pakistan had returned the body of a teenager, Zafar Ahmed, from J&K’s Poonch. The 17-year-old had drowned in a river while taking a dip.
In Oct 2019, Pakistan had handed over the body of Paritosh Mandal, a BSF sub-inspector who had gone missing while on patrol near the International Boundary in Jammu’s Aik Nallah area. In June 2018, Pakistani officials had repatriated the body of one Davender Singh Manhas days after he was swept away in the Chenab.
“He (Nagotra) is suspected to have died by suicide by jumping into river after losing Rs 80,000 in online gaming,” a police official said.
Nagotra went missing near the river in Akhnoor’sBakor on June 11. His father Subhash Sharma and others looked for him and lodged a missing complaint with the cops the following day.
“According to Nagotra’s father, he received a call on Saturday from a civilian in Pakistan to identify a body recovered from a river in Sialkot. Nagotra had left behind his phone at home and his father was using it,” the police officer said.
Nagotra’s company ID card was found on him, helping the Pakistani civilian contact Subhash and alert the Pakistani authorities about the body, the police officer said. “A (Pak) official sent a photo of the ID card to Nagotra’s father to confirm his identity,” the officer added.
On Sunday, Nagotra’s family submitted a memorandum to police and sought govt help in getting his body back. Other than the PM, they have written to the ministry of external affairs (MEA) and the Union home ministry, sources said. “We also appeal to the Pakistani authorities to hand over the body so that we can perform the last rites according to our Hindu rituals,” a member of Nagotra’s family said in Akhnoor on Sunday.
Recent past offers hope of such help as a goodwill gesture. In Aug 2022, Pakistan had returned the body of a teenager, Zafar Ahmed, from J&K’s Poonch. The 17-year-old had drowned in a river while taking a dip.
In Oct 2019, Pakistan had handed over the body of Paritosh Mandal, a BSF sub-inspector who had gone missing while on patrol near the International Boundary in Jammu’s Aik Nallah area. In June 2018, Pakistani officials had repatriated the body of one Davender Singh Manhas days after he was swept away in the Chenab.