2 Soldiers Killed Dousing Fire

SRINAGAR: Two army men were charred to death while dousing off forest fire near Line of Control (LoC) in Tanghdar sector of north Kashmirs Kupwara district on Saturday.

Official sources said that fire erupted in the forest area near Kanli Post along LoC in the frontier district during the intervening night of January 1 and 2. It engulfed vast portion of the forest area.

Soon after the fire, the nearby armys 5/5 GR and 12 bn Border Security Force immediately swung into action to douse off the fire, they said.

As the fire destroyed the hundreds of green gold, the joint team of forces tried their level best to bring the fire under control, they said, adding that two army men died due to serious burn injuries on the spot while as many troopers including a BSF man were injured.

The deceased have been identified as Vijay Jarang and Suresh of 5/5 GR and the injured as Dam Bhadur, Bushan Sharma of BSF 12 bn

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Sources said that a trooper believed to be missing in the area.

They said that the more fire fighters were rushed to the area.

Meanwhile, a senior army official while talking to GNS said that the fire erupted from the other side of LOC. We have lost two jawans and two others received injuries during the incident, he said.

Meanwhile, a forest fire was raging in Bongam forest area in Haihama range in Kupwara district.

Official sources said that the fire started late Friday evening and when reports last came in, it was raging. The cause of the fire could not be ascertained but if not controlled soon, it could lead to tremendous loss of the forest cover, they added.

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