Srinagar: A video of Bashir Ahmad Mir rescuing three youngsters from the gushing River Sindh has broken the internet.
The video was shot near Satruna Kangan in Ganderbal district when Mir swam against the strong currents without any safety gear to save the trapped boys.
As per the locals, Mir, who has so far helped in retrieving 51 dead bodies from the river, is often called by the police and J&K State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) when they need help in rescue operations.
“I have so far retrieved 51 dead bodies and also been part of several rescue operations. I have also saved around 90 persons from drowning so far. Police and the SDRF always call me for help. As far as yesterday’s incident is concerned, I rescued three youth – one teenager and two others in their early twenties,” Mir told The Kashmir Monitor.
A resident of Kangan, Mir had learnt swimming on his own. However, swimming against the strong currents of the Sindh has not been an easy task.
“I have been swimming in streams and lakes having strong currents right from my childhood. Now, I am an expert and have been swimming in Ganderbal and Ladakh. I have also swum in the Pangong Lake in Ladakh. In fact, swimming in lakes like Pangong is very easy but negotiating the strong currents of the Sindh is not easy. It requires experience and I can swim against the strong currents without any safety gears,” he said.
While people on social media are praising Mir’s act of bravery, locals of Ganderbal district say he was famous in the area for his rescue acts.
“This is not the first time that Bashir Mir saved the lives of people. However, this time, the act was caught on camera and the video became viral. Locals trust him more than the official rescue teams and he is always called for help if there is a drowning incident. And, he (Mir) always responds and is always ready to help,” said a local of Ganderbal.
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