Watchman charred to death as mosque catches fire

A watchman of a mosque was charred to death in a fire that completely damaged the place of worship in an uptown locality here, police said today.
The fire broke out in the three-storey mosque at Ikhrajpora locality of Jawahar Nagar yesterday, trapping the watchman Alam Din Chohan of Lolab area of Kupwara, a police spokesman said.
He said Chohan died of asphyxiation and his charred body was later recovered.
The mosque was completely damaged in the fire, the spokesman said, adding that short-circuit was believed to be the cause of the fire.
The body of the deceased was handed over to his family members for last rites, he said.

In a separate incident, Gul Mohammad Hajam suffered burn injuries after his house caught fire at Khargund village in Kulgam district of south Kashmir, the spokesman said.