ADC, Tehsildar visit affected family, assure financial assistance to aged parents

PAMPORE: A young couple died in a lightning incident at Bujibagh village in the Pampore area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Saturday evening.
The deceased have been identified as Hilal Ahmed Hanji, 25, son of Abdul Hamid and his wife Rozia Jan, 21, wife of Hilal Ahmad, residents of Bujhbagh Pampore. The couple married some eight ago.
After receiving information about the incident, SDPO Pampore Mir Imtiyaz Ahmad and Additional SHO Pampore Syed Aqeel Shah rushed to the spot. SDPO told Kashmir Reader that the young couple was tending their fields when the lightning struck them. “Both of them were shifted to Sub District Hospital Pampore where doctors declared them dead on arrival,” he said.
Block Medical Officer Pampore Dr Asima Nazir, said that it was around 4:30 pm that she learnt that two bodies were brought at the hospital.
“After verification, it was learned that the couple was working in their fields where they were struck by lightning and both of them were dead on the spot,” she said.
Gulzar Ahmad Hanji, the uncle of the deceased, said his nephew and daughter-in-law were working in their fields when the unfortunate incident occurred. “They were cutting grass for their cattle, my other asked them to leave for home and in the meantime lightning struck them,” he said.
Mohammad Shabaan Hanji, an aged resident of Bujhbagh said the family is very poor. “Hilal was the main earning hand for the family, both of his parents are old,” he said, and appealed to the government to provide financial assistance to his old parents.
Meanwhile, Additional Deputy Commissioner Awantipora Zaffar Husson Shawl along with Tehsildar Pampore Shakeel Ahmad and Naib Tehsildar Javaid Ahmad visited the affected family at Bujibagh Pampore and paid condolences to the bereaved family.
The ADC said termed the incident was unfortunate. “The family will be provided financial assistance from the government,” he said, adding that they will take up the case under SDRF and settle it on a priority basis.

BILAL HABIB