Amarnath floods: Ex-policeman dies saving lives

A retired policeman from Rajasthan's Bikaner, who saved many people from drowning in the flash flood triggered by a cloudburst, was swept away by the gushing waters near the Amarnath cave shrine.

The deceased was identified as Sushil Khatri, former in-charge of Sri Ganganagar traffic police station.

Khatri's relative Sunita Wadwa, also hailing from the desert state, also died in the tragedy that killed 16 people and injured more than 40.

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Khatri was among the batch of 17 devotees who had left from Sri Ganganagar on July 3 and had retired from service just nine days before the tragedy struck.

After his retirement, he had planned a holiday with his wife and son.

Khatri, 61, was staying in a tent near the Amarnath cave.

In the evening, as the flood water gushed in, tents started gettting washed away.

Many people of Sri Ganganagar, including Khatri, his relative Sunita and her husband Mohanlal were also present.

Khatri saved many people before being swept away.

Confirming his death, Amarnath Langar Seva Samiti president, Sri Ganganagar, Navneet Sharma, said that he could not meet Khatri but had met Mohanlal Wadhwa and his wife Sunita Wadhwa, a cloth merchant from Sri Ganganagar, who were part of the batch of 17 devotees from Sri Ganganagar.