Kaman Bridge Reopened After Six Years for Bodies Repatriation to IIOJK

After six long years of closure, the Kaman Bridge on the Line of Control (LoC) was reopened to facilitate the repatriation of two bodies, sparking calls for greater cross-border movement between Kashmir’s divided regions.

For the first time in six years, the Kaman Bridge, which connects Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) with Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), was reopened to allow the return of the bodies of a young couple who drowned in the Jhelum River. Located in the Uri area of Baramulla district, the bridge had been closed since 2019, but the tragic incident prompted its reopening to facilitate the return of the deceased to their families.

On March 5, Indian Army officials reported that a 22-year-old man and a 19-year-old woman from the villages of Basgran and Kamalkote in IIOJK drowned in the Jhelum River. The bodies of the couple, who had been swept away by the river, floated across the river, drifting from one side of the Line of Control to the other. The man’s body was found near Chinari in AJK, while the woman’s body was discovered just a day earlier on the same side of the river.

After the bodies were recovered, both sides agreed to repatriate them, which led to the reopening of the Kaman Bridge, allowing the bodies to be returned to their respective families. The reopening of the bridge marked a rare moment of cooperation between the two regions, both of which have been divided by the LoC for decades.

This event also triggered calls from the people of Kashmir on both sides of the LoC, who expressed their hope that the reopening of the Kaman Bridge could serve as a catalyst for the opening of all bridges along the Line of Control. The local population has long demanded easier cross-border movement to reconnect with their relatives and communities separated by the artificial divide created by the ongoing conflict.

While the repatriation of the bodies was seen as a positive step, it has highlighted the broader issue of the isolation faced by families who remain divided due to the political situation. Many Kashmiris have called for more opportunities for families to reunite and for ordinary citizens to be able to travel freely across the LoC, something that has been a distant dream for decades.

The reopening of the Kaman Bridge, though a small step, carries significant symbolic value for the people of Kashmir. It serves as a reminder of the deep emotional and familial ties that persist across the divide and the ongoing desire for greater connectivity and peace in the region.