Four, including two tourists, die in J&K, 10 locals injured in different incidents

Srinagar, Four people, including two tourists, died in different incidents across the Kashmir Valley on Wednesday, while 10 others were injured in a house collapse in Bandipora district, officials said.

Two male tourists were brought dead to hospitals in Srinagar on Wednesday, officials said.

A tourist, in an unconscious condition, was brought to the SMHS Hospital in Srinagar from a hotel near Dal Lake.

Doctors at the hospital declared him dead on arrival. The deceased was identified as 41-year-old Taranjit Singh, son of Pushvandar Singh, a resident of Uttar Pradesh.

In a separate incident, another tourist was referred from JVC Bemina to SKIMS Soura after he reportedly fell unconscious.

Officials said the tourist was staying at a hotel in the Hyderpora area of Srinagar. Upon arrival at SKIMS Soura, doctors declared him dead. The deceased was identified as Rajesh Ramchandar Mahindrakar, son of Ramchandar Mahindrakar, a resident of Maharashtra.

Officials said medico-legal formalities have been initiated in both cases to ascertain the exact cause of death.

A CRPF jawan of 44 Battalion died due to a suspected heart attack during the intervening night in the HMT area of Srinagar, officials said.

The deceased has been identified as Head Constable Hari Nath of 44 Battalion. Officials said he complained of discomfort during the night and was later found unresponsive in his room.

Preliminary assessment suggests that the cause of death was a sudden heart attack. However, officials said all required legal and medical formalities are being followed to ascertain the exact cause.

A 32-year-old man died of suspected suffocation after sleeping in his car with the heater on while waiting outside the District Hospital in Kulgam, where his wife was admitted.

Officials said the man, a resident of Kulgam, had parked his car near the hospital and slept inside it during the night to stay warm.

The continuous use of the heater inside the closed car reportedly caused suffocation.

He was later found unconscious inside the car and taken to the hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival. His body was then sent for medico-legal formalities. The deceased was identified as 32-year-old Mashooq Ahmad Mir, son of Mohammad Yousuf Mir, a resident of the Kulpora area of Kulgam.

In another incident, 10 people were injured after a double-storeyed residential house collapsed suddenly during a condolence gathering at Chandergir village in the Hajin area of Bandipora district.

Officials said the incident occurred when a large number of people had assembled at the house to offer condolences following the death of the house owner.

“According to an initial assessment, the heavy gathering inside the house led to excessive load on the structure, resulting in its sudden collapse. The incident triggered panic among the gathered mourners, with several people getting trapped under debris before being rescued. The Station House Officer (SHO) concerned confirmed that a total of ten people were injured in the incident,” an official said.

Five injured were shifted to the health centre in Hajin, while the remaining five were taken to the hospital at Safapora for treatment, the official said, adding that all the injured are reported to be stable.

“Police have taken cognisance of the incident and initiated further investigation to ascertain the exact cause of the collapse,” an official added.