Banihal, July 30 -- A 17-year-old boy drowned on Monday in the Rattan Bass area of Banihal after falling into a deep ditch allegedly created by illegal sand extraction along Nallah Bishlari.

The deceased was identified as Asgar Ali Gujjar, son of Mohammad Ashraf Binth, a resident of Rattan Bass.

According to locals, Asgar was bathing in the stream with another boy when he accidentally slipped into the ditch.

Local residents blamed the "sand mafia" for the tragedy, accusing them of extracting sand from the Bishlari stream and leaving behind hazardous pits without any safety measures.

Following the incident, police and local volunteers reached the site and managed to recover the body.

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