J&K: Former DSP among 6 killed after fire breaks out at house in Kathua

A house caught fire in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district on Wednesday morning, resulting in six people suffocating to death, including a former deputy superintendent of police and his three-year-old grandson, reported PTI.

Four other people injured in the incident were undergoing treatment in a hospital.

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

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 81-year-old former deputy SP Avtar Krishen Raina, his daughter Barkha Raina, son Takash, Ganga Bhagat, 15-year-old Danish Bhagat and 6-year-old Advik, a police officer said.

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

The family of the former DSP was living in a rented house.

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,” stated a post on X by Singh.

What initial probe suggest

Dr Surinder Atri, the principal of the hospital, said 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 said, according to PTI.

Rocky Sharma, a student, said 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 told the news agency.

The police have registered a case and initiated an investigation into the matter.