Srinagar, May 03 (KNO): Every day, Taufeeq Ahmad Chopan would row his boat across Dal Lake, selling ice cream to tourists and locals to support his family.
But on Friday, the same lake that helped him earn a living turned tragic, taking his life and leaving his family without their only support.
"He was my only support," cried the heartbroken mother of 24-year-old Taufeeq Ahmad Chopan, whose body was recovered from Dal Lake, a day after a boat he was in capsized during gusty winds near Duck Park on Friday afternoon.
Taufeeq, a resident of Chopan Mohalla in Rainawari, Srinagar, had gone missing after the boat overturned. His body was retrieved early Saturday by the joint efforts of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and local residents after rescue operations.
As per the details obtained by the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the incident occurred when two local people were caught off guard by sudden gusty winds while on the lake. The boat they were in capsized, throwing both into the water. One of them, 55-year-old Abdul Majeed Khosa, was rescued soon after. Taufeeq, however, could not be located until this morning.
The family was left devastated, who wailed, as Thufeeq was the only one who looked after them.
Back home in Rainawari, Srinagar, a pall of gloom descended over the Chopan household. Taufeeq’s grieving mother cried. Her wails filled the air as she said her son was the only hope and support for their family, who have now lost n
“He used to sell ice cream or sometimes drive an auto-rickshaw to make ends meet,” she told KNO in a choked voice. “He was the only one who provided for us. My elder son is unwell and has to visit the hospital every three months for treatment. Now, a light has gone out of our lives."
“The winds became wild. We never thought that the day would end like this,” she shared, wiping tears.
Relatives of the deceased said Taufeeq was the sole breadwinner for the family, which included his ailing elder brother and dependent parents. “Taufeeq worked hard, whether it was summer or winter. He never let his family go hungry,” said his aunt.
They continued, "He was out on the lake selling ice cream when the weather suddenly turned rough."
Meanwhile, an SDRF official informed KNO that the body was found during the resumed search operation early Saturday morning by the joint efforts of them and locals.
“Despite using advanced equipment and exhaustive search methods on Friday, we had to suspend operations at night. We resumed with first light and recovered the body this morning,” he said.
Moreover, Taufeeq was laid to rest later in the day amid tears and prayers. Scores of neighbours and locals gathered to offer condolences to the bereaved family—(KNO)