J-K gas cylinder blast: Two more succumbed, toll rises to six

Two critically injured minor siblings Saturday succumbed to burn injuries at a hospital, raising the death toll in a gas cylinder blast at a house in Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir to six, officials said.

With their death, Bishan Dass had lost his wife and five children -- four daughters and a son -- in a blast which took place at Maitra village of Ramban late Friday evening.

Five-year-old Anita Devi and her one-and-half-year-old brother Jagir Chand along with their relative Pritam Singh of Blowet village were rescued from the flames and referred to Army hospital Udhampur for specialised treatment Friday night, the officials said.

However, they said both the children succumbed to their injuries in the wee hours, while the condition of Singh, who had come to visit the family, was stated to be "serious".

Darshana Devi (36), her daughters Ashu Devi (13), Santosh Devi (7) and Priyanka Devi (3) were charred to death soon after their rented accommodation caught fire following the LPG cylinder blast.

A cow and a calf, belonging to the family, were also killed in the blaze which reduced the house of Mohammad Yaseen to ashes, the officials said.

Dass, who had shifted to Ramban town from his Tangar village -- 40 kms from the town -- and was living as a tenant in the house of Yaseen, was not at home as he had gone to attend a marriage function, the officials said. PTI CORR/TAS
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