Kathua: At least six people, including children and elderly, lost their lives after a fire incident at the house of a retired Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in Kathua, officials said.
An official told the news agency JKNS that about six people had died, and four were left injured, including a neighbor who attempted to rescue the victims and sustained injuries during the fire incident in Kathua.
He said the victims reportedly died due to suffocation caused by the smoke. The deceased have been identified as Ganga Bhagat (17), daughter of Bharat Bhushan, Shahidi Chowk, Kathua; Danish Bhagat (15), son of Bharat Bhushan, Shahidi Chowk, Kathua; Avatar Krishan (81), son of Keshav Raina, Shiva Nagar, Kathua; Barkha Raina (25), daughter of Avatar Krishan, Shiva Nagar, Kathua; Takash Raina (3), son of Avatar Krishan, Shiva Nagar, Kathua; and Advik Raina (4), son of Sandeep Kaul, Jagti Nagrota, Jammu.
He identified the injured as Swarna (61), wife of Avatar Krishan, Shiva Nagar, Kathua; Neetu Devi (40), wife of Bharat Bhushan, Shahidi Chowk, Kathua; Arun Kumar (15), son of Sain Chand, Batote, Ramban; and Kewal Krishan (69), son of Mansa Ram, Shiva Nagar, Kathua.
Meanwhile, the injured were rushed to Government Medical College (GMC) Kathua for treatment, while the bodies of the deceased were shifted to the mortuary for postmortem.—(JKNS)
*Further investigations are underway to determine the cause of the fire.*
