When 74-year-old Muhammad Jan, a retired naib tehsildar, died at Srinagar’s Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences on January 7 due to multiple ailments, his family members were in a fix.

With snow cutting off access to their native village in the frontier area of Karnah — 287 km away from Srinagar — they had no way to take the body of Jan — the head of their family — to their native village.

No chopper

With no other go, they carried his body for four days and crossed the avalanche-prone Sadhna Pass, situated at a height of around 10,000 feet. They trudged through more than six-feet snow. “It was a harrowing ordeal. The body was first kept in the Police Control Room as we were waiting to know if the government could make any arrangement like a chopper. Finally, we decided to send a team of 70 people from the village to trek the Ganah-Khooni Nallah to ferry the body from the other side of the avalanche-prone Sadhna Pass,” Master Muhammad Rafi, a close relative of deceased Jan, told The Hindu over phone from Karnah.

The toughest task was to cross the Sadhna Pass located at over 10,000 feet. “The wind was so chilly that it would turn the faces of men blue. It was freezing cold. Our men stood there from morning till evening on January 10 to receive the body,” said Mr. Rafi.

The villagers and relatives trekked more than 25 km. “All we want is a decent burial in the end. What life are we living if we don’t get a decent burial,” Mr. Rafi asked.

The body reached the native village Nutha in north Kashmir on the night on January 10 for the final rites.

The pictures showing a line of people carrying the body, posted on social networking sites evoked a sharp response from netizens. “Kudos to these brave people who on foot took the coffin on their shoulders. This is really a stunning example and shame for government at district and sub-district level,” wrote G.M. Bhat on Facebook.

Directive to govt.

Meanwhile, chairman, Legislative Council, Anayat Ali, on Wednesday directed the government to provide helicopter service to far-flung and remote areas in view of closure of roads due to heavy snowfall.

In Jammu, Director-General, Border Roads Organisation, Lt. Gen. Suresh Sharma, met Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and briefed her on the status of various road connectivity projects.