50 houses, Jamia Masjid gutted in Kishtwar village

Banihal, Oct 14: A massive fire swept through Mulwarwan village in Warwan, Kishtwar, destroying over 50 residential houses and a Jamia Masjid.

The blaze started from a heap of dry grass on Monday afternoon and spread rapidly in the village due to strong winds.

The locals and eyewitnesses from the spot said that the intense flames prevented locals from controlling the fire, reducing the entire village to ashes.

Abdul Rehman Mehro, a resident of Warwan, said that this was the fifth fire incident in the past 15 years, ravaging five villages including Margi, Sukhnai, Choidraman, Virwarwan, and Mulwarwan. Hundreds of houses have been gutted in the past fire incidents in Warwan tehsil alone, Mehro said.

Locals said that the district administration of Kishtwar was responsible for this destruction in far-flung Warwan Valley.

They alleged that despite repeated demands and protests, the district administration of Kishtwar had failed to establish a fire station in Warwan and Marwah subdivision, exacerbating the disaster.

Locals urged the district administration to establish a fire station in the area to prevent future tragedies.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kishtwar, Rajesh Kumar Shavan released Rs 5 lakh as immediate relief from Red Cross for the affected families.

Officials said that logistic support and arrangements were being made by the district administration.

Sub District Magistrate (SDM) Marwah, Muhammad Ashraf told reporters that the entire village of Mulwarwan was full of debris, which made it difficult to identify which was a residential house and which was not.

“Before the final assessment, we can only say that about 40 to 45 houses have been damaged,” he said.