M A I N   N E W S

8 of family charred to death
Kanchan Vasdev
Tribune News Service

Karaurr (Ludhiana), January 21
Eight members of a Muslim family , including six children and a woman, were charred to death when a fire broke out mysteriously in their thatched hut located in the fields in this village near Koomkalan early in the morning today. A five-day-old baby boy was also among the deceased.

Seventy-five-year old Mohammad Muslim, father of the deceased woman, however, escaped unhurt as he was sleeping inside a tubewell room near the hut. The family had been working as farm labour in the fields of the village Sarpanch, Mr Navsharan Singh. They belonged to Sansi village in Khagori district in Bihar and were living here for the past 12 years.

The deceased have been identified as Nazima Khatoon (37), her husband, Mohammad Manzoor (45) their four daughters Hasmatoon (16), Nazatoon(8), Saajo(6), Shahana (2) and their two sons Mangnu (4) and five-day-old Changnu. The bodies were charred beyond recognition. A goat, which was tied inside the hut, however, managed to escape but its two kids perished in the fire.

The Koomkalan police has conducted proceedings under Section 174 of the CrPC. However, some relatives of the deceased suspected some foul play in the mishap. Mr Mohammad Muslim and his son Asgar Afridi pointed out that it was strange that no family member had tried to escape the raging flames but a goat which was tied with a rope inside the hut managed to escape.

Too weak even to shed tears at the grave tragedy, Mohammad Muslim, said at around 4 a.m. he heard the cries of small children. After hearing them cry, he came outside the tubewell room only to see the hut on fire. Too old to run, he shouted to call villagers for help but his cries went unheard because strong wind was blowing. ‘‘Within a few minutes, the cries of children also stopped’’, he said. Unable to come to terms with the harsh reality he was lying shattered on the ground when the village Sarpanch reached the spot. But everything was over by then. ‘‘I got the information a few minutes after the incident as a watchman in the nearby fields came running to me and told me that there was a fire. I rushed to the spot only to find the charred bodies. Then we informed the police.’’ he said.

A team of doctors led by Dr S.K. Sharma from Civil Hospital, Ludhiana conducted the post-mortem. The police was yet to ascertain the cause of fire. While the police was working on the theory that an earthen hearth kept inside the hut had caused the fire, Mohammad Muslim said that was not the case as no remains of the hearth were found from the burnt hut.

He added that the bodies had been found in sleeping position . Deputy Commissioner, Ludhiana, Mr Anurag Verma, Member Parliament, Mr Sharanjit Singh Dhillon and MLA Koom Kalan, Mr Inder Iqbal Singh Atwal visited the site. 

Survivors shattered

While Mohammad Manzoor, his second wife and six children were burnt alive, his first wife and six children were among the survivors whose world was shattered due to the tragedy. ‘‘I wish I had stayed with him and died with him today. Who will fend for my children now ? We were preparing for the marriage of our elder children and he was telling relatives to look for suitable matches’’, blubbered Ruksana Khatoon, the first wife of Mohammad Manzoor. Ruksana had started living separately from him two years ago and had shifted to Islam Ganj in Ludhiana.

Both wives and all children of Manzoor were living together in the village till two years ago. After the womenfolk in the house started having differences, the first wife started living in Ludhiana. ‘‘He was a very responsible husband and father. He used to visit us every week and bring food and other things. ’’ said Ruksana, who was informed about the incident today morning.