Operator feared drowned as excavator falls into river in J&K’s Doda

Doda/Jammu, Mar 17 (PTI) An excavator operator is feared drowned after his machine skidded off the road and fell into Chenab river in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district on Friday, a senior police officer said.

A joint rescue operation is on to trace out the driver Rahul Sharma (25) who was believed to have been swept away by the current, Senior Superintendent of Police, Doda Abdul Qayoom said.

Sharma, a resident of Dharmthal-Chennai in Udhampur, was operating the excavator near Shiva-Dul bridge when he lost control as a result of which the machine rolled down into the river, he said.

“Police along with SDRF and civil administration have launched a joint search operation. As of now only a part of the machine is visible and the operator could not be located so far,” Qayoom said.