JAMMU: A retired DSP and five of his family members died of asphyxiation and four others fell unconscious when a fire broke out at his house in Kathua district of Jammu early Wednesday.
According to police, some locals noticed the flames in the house of the ex-DSP, Avtar Krishan Raina (81), in Shiv Nagar area of Kathua around 2:30 am, when all family members were asleep. The neighbours rushed to the family’s rescue and shifted them to Govt Medical College Hospital, where six of them were declared dead on arrival.
Police said suffocation due to smoke inhalation was cited as the cause of deaths. The deceased were identified as Raina, his daughter Barkha Raina (25), son Takash Raina (3), grandson Advik Raina (4) and two other relatives, Ganga Bhagat (17) and Danish Bhagat (15).
Four other family members were admitted for treatment, including Raina’s wife Swarna (61), Neetu (40), Arun Kumar (15) and Kewal Krishan (69).

Police have registered a case and started the investigation to find out what started the fire.
Union minister Dr Jitendra Singh, who is the MP from Kathua, and LG Manoj Sinha expressed grief over the deaths and wished speedy recovery to the injured.