A gaming app loss, a WhatsApp message from Pakistan, and heartbreak for J&K family who lost son

Subash now seeks the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to bring his son’s remains back home.

“We appeal to our PM to help us in getting back the body of our son for last rites as per our religion,” said Subash, who works as a daily wager in the Public Works Department.

Subash now seeks the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to bring his son’s remains back home. (Express Photo)

Harsh had been working with a telecom firm in the nearby Khour area since last December after completing his BSc. Police investigating his disappearance suspect that he died by suicide by jumping into the Chenab after suffering losses of Rs 80,000 in an online gaming application, sources said.

Subash said the family had already written to the Ministry of External Affairs, the Home Minister and the Prime Minister’s Office regarding the matter. BJP MP Jugal Kishore Sharma will take the matter up at senior level at the Centre on Monday, Subash said.

The family has also appealed to authorities in Pakistan to make arrangements to send Harsh’s body back home.

Harsh is the eldest of Subash’s two sons. On June 11 morning, he left for office and did not return, Subash recalled.

“At around 7.45 pm, I rang his mobile phone, but it was switched off,” the grieving father said. “When he did not return home by 9 pm, we started contacting his colleagues, only to be told that he had left office after marking his attendance in the morning itself,” he said.

The family searched for him throughout the night, and found his motorcycle abandoned at Gurah Manhasa area. On the morning of June 12, they lodged a missing person’s report at the Khour police station.

After weeks of finding no clue regarding his son’s disappearance, Subash decided to get a duplicate of Harsh’s SIM card issued. It was when the SIM got activated on Friday that the family discovered it had been getting constant messages and calls from a number in Pakistan. The messages informing of Harsh’s death also included photos of the ID card found on his body.

Subash said he called the number and the man at the other end identified himself as an official of the “post-mortem department” in Pakistan.

“He told us that Harsh’s body was recovered on that side of the border on June 13. He had been making frequent calls and sending WhatsApp messages on the number mentioned in Harsh’s ID card to inform us about his death. But the number was not working at that time,” Subash said.