Two women charred to death in forest fire in U'khand

Two women were charred to death and another was injured in a forest fire at a village in Uttarakhand's Bageshwar district, a forest officer said on Monday.

Nanda Devi, Indira Devi and Ganga Devi had gone to collect fodder for their cattle in the forest in Chachai village when it caught fire. While Nanda and Indira were burnt, Ganga managed to escape, District Forrest Officer, Bageshwar, Mayank Jha said.

By the time forest officials reached the spot, both the women were dead, he said.

The fire was in a small patch of forest and could not be sighted by the satellites, Jha said.

A man of the same village has been arrested on the basis of an FIR lodged in connection with the incident by the husband of one of the deceased, Bageshwar SP Rachita Juyal said.