Former police officer, 2 kids among 6 family members killed in fire in J&K’s Kathua

A former deputy superintendent of police and his three-year-old grandson were among 6 members of the family who were charred to death in a major fire incident in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district on Dec 18 morning.

Four other people injured in the incident were undergoing treatment in a local hospital, officials said. The rented house the family lived in was destroyed by fire.

Locals noticed the house on fire around 2:30 am and rushed to rescue its occupants. The house was filled with thick smoke, suffocating its occupants in their sleep, news agency PTI reported.

The victims were shifted to the Government Medical College (GMC) Hospital in Kathua, where six of them, including two minors, were declared 'brought dead', according to the officials.

The deceased have been identified as former deputy SP Avtar Krishen Raina (81), his daughter Barkha Raina, son Takash, Ganga Bhagat, Danish Bhagat (15) and Advik (6), a police officer was quoted as saying.

The injured undergoing treatment include Swarna (61) - wife of Avtar Krishen Raina- Neetu Devi (40), Arun Kumar (15), and a 69-year-old woman.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh condoled the deaths, saying that he was in contact with the administration over the matter.

"Deeply shocked to learn about the accidental death of 6 members of a family resulting from fire incident in the Shiv Nagar area of Kathua city," Singh wrote on X.

‘Victims died of smoke inhalation and suffocation’

Dr Surinder Atri, the principal of the hospital was quoted as saying that preliminary investigations suggest the victims died of smoke inhalation and suffocation, adding that no burn injuries were reported.

"It is an unfortunate incident. Our assistant matron, who had recently retired, was living in the rented house. The incident happened between 2 AM and 3 AM. She called over the phone and I immediately informed the police and fire brigade," the doctor was quoted as saying by PTI.

Rocky Sharma, a student, was quoted as saying he was studying late at night when he noticed the fire and rushed to the house along with others.

"The fire had engulfed the drawing room, and the smoke that seeped into other rooms resulted in the deaths," he said.

The police have registered a case and an investigation is underway to ascertain the exact cause of the fire.