Shikara carrying BJP workers, journalists capsizes during rally in Srinagar's Dal lake; no one injured

BJP workers and journalists fell into Srinagar’s Dal Lake as a shikara capsized on Sunday during a campaign for the ongoing District Development Council elections, according to several media reports. The shikara capsized when it was closing on the bank of the lake in the last leg of the rally, reported news agency PTI. The BJP workers and journalists were rescued by locals, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel, and police. BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain told NDTV that everyone on the shikara was safe. “There were many mediapersons on the boat. Thankfully everyone is safe. It was a very good rally at Dal Lake. The boat capsized when it reached the shore,” Hussain told the channel. As per the NDTV report, those rescued include at least four BJP leaders and several camerapersons. Hussain and  Tarun Chug were also present in the shikara rally led by Union minister Anurag Thakur, who is the BJP’s in-charge for DDC elections in Jammu and Kashmir. The incident occurred on a day when polling for the sixth phase of the DDC polls was held in 31 DDC constituencies — 14 in Kashmir Division and 17 in Jammu Division. The DDC polls, which are being held along with by-elections to panchayats, is the first democratic exercise in Jammu and Kashmir since it was reorganized as a Union Territory last year. The maiden DDC elections, to be conducted in eight phases, commenced on 28 November, and the counting of votes is slated to take place on 22 December. With inputs from PTI