Minor student dies, 3 injured in fire at seminary in south Kashmir

Srinagar, May 12: A minor student died and three others sustained burn injuries after a fire broke out at Mosque-cum-Darul Uloom Baba Haider Reshi on Court Road in Mattan area of Anantnag district during the intervening night of May 11 and 12.

News agency GNS reported officials as saying that the blaze erupted in the night hours and quickly spread within the seminary premises, causing damage to parts of the structure. Fire and Emergency Services teams reached the spot soon after the incident and, with assistance from local residents and students, managed to bring the fire under control.

Four students sustained burn injuries in the incident. They have been identified as Bilal Ahmad Kumar, 15, son of Mohammad Akbar, resident of Wardwan, Mohammad Sahil Manaz, 17, son of Abdul Kareem, resident of Sungaldan, Irfan Gulzar, 14, son of Gulzar Ahmad Doie, resident of Lidroo Pahalgam, and Sabir Fayaz Takkad, 16, son of Fayaz Ahmad, resident of Reasi.

All the injured were shifted to Government Medical College Anantnag for treatment, where doctors declared Bilal Ahmad Kumar brought dead on arrival, officials said.

They added that Mohammad Sahil Manaz, who suffered serious injuries, was later referred to SMHS Hospital Srinagar for advanced treatment, while the remaining two injured students are undergoing treatment at GMC Anantnag.

“Preliminary assessment suggests the fire may have been triggered by a short circuit, though the exact cause is under investigation,” officials said further.