Woman, four minor children die after boulder falls on house

JAMMU: A woman and her four minor children died while her husband was injured when a boulder hit their mud house in Ghordi area of Udhampur district during the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday.

The deceased have been identified as Sharda Devi, 35, Aarti Devi, 16, Anu Devi ,14, Swani Devi ,12, and Pawan Singh,10.

The lone survivor of the family Raj Singh, 40, has been hospitalised in Udhampur district hospital. SSP Rajiv Pande said, “The incident occurred on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday around 1.30 pm. It was a mud house located on the slopes of a steep hill. There were rains in the past few days that triggered the boulders. They came crashing down in the dead of night uprooting trees and whatever came their way. One huge boulder swept away this house, killing the woman and her children.”

“Her husband was sleeping in another room which had a cavity, thus he escaped with injuries. He is now out of danger,” said the SSP. The police team had to trek a steep climb to reach the site.

“The bodies were lying strewn in the area and after hectic efforts we could trace the minor boy,” he said. The officer said the house belonged to someone else but the family had been looking after the house and cattle of the owner.

Udhampur deputy magistrate Piyush Singla said, “We have sanctioned ₹20 lakh ex-gratia that will be transferred in the account of the next of kin in four days.”

THE MISHAP THAT TOOK PLACE IN GHORDI AREA OF UDHAMPUR DISTRICT KILLED A WOMAN AND HER FOUR MINOR KIDS