Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is leaving no stone unturned as the final phases of the District Development Council (DDC) elections are underway in Jammu and Kashmir. On Sunday, BJP leader and Union Minister Anurag Thakur led a shikara rally at Srinagar’s Dal Lake. However, a major incident took place when the rally came to a close.
A shikara carrying a few BJP workers and journalists capsized in Srinagar’s Dal Lake. Locals, police and rescue personnel rushed to the spot and safely rescued everyone from the river.
According to reports, after the rally ended, one of the shikaras carrying three BJP workers and three journalists was heading back to the shore. The boat overturned just a few metres from the riverbank, and the six occupants fell into the freezing river. Reportedly, the journalists managed to swim to the shore, while shikaras nearby rushed to aid the workers, bringing them to safety. No injuries have been reported so far.
Meanwhile, on Sunday, 31 constituencies in 18 districts of Jammu and Kashmir went to polls in the sixth phase of the DCC elections. These elections are the first major electoral activity to take place since the revocation of Article 370 and Jammu and Kashmir becoming a Union Territory.
According to reports, the sixth phase saw a 51.5% voter turnout. In the previous five phases, the total voter turnout has been around 50%.
