Rs 5 lakh ex-gratia for the families of avalanche and shooting of stones victims

The Jammu and Kashmir government Saturday announced ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh each to the kin of the 13 persons who lost their lives in the recent incidents of avalanche and shooting stones.

Governor Satya Pal Malik expressed his condolences to the family of the deceased. He lauded the efforts of the rescue teams and local volunteers for completing search and rescue operations despite extreme weather conditions.

"The government has, on the directions of Governor Satya Pal Malik, announced ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh each to the next of kin of those killed in snow avalanches and shooting of stones incidents at various places across the state during the recent snowfall," an official spokesman said.

The spokesman said the governor has asked the divisional commissioners of both Jammu and Kashmir divisions to immediately release the ex-gratia relief to the next of kin of the deceased and extend all possible assistance to the injured.

The governor has asked the health department to provide best possible medical facilities to the injured.

Eight persons, including six police and fire, emergency personnel, were killed and three policemen were injured when an avalanche struck the north portal of Jawahar Tunnel in Qazigund area of Kulgam district on Thursday.

In another incident on the same day, a couple died when an avalanche struck their home at Sund Brari in Kokernag area of Anantnag district.

In a similar incident, a youth was killed at Chairhaar in Baramulla district on Friday.

In an incident of shooting of stones and landslide, two persons died and two others were injured in Ramban district along the Jammu-Srinagar national highway on Friday.