Garhwal Post Bureau
Chamoli, 27 May: A tragic incident occurred in Bunga village of Adibadri tehsil, Gairsain block, in Chamoli district when 51-year-old Sureshi Devi lost her life after being caught in a forest fire. According to reports, she was on her way to her cowshed around 7 p.m. when the blaze spread rapidly due to strong winds and engulfed the area. She sustained severe burns and succumbed to her injuries before she could be taken to hospital.
Adibadri police station in-charge Anil Agri confirmed that the fire had spread to the cowshed because of a storm, leading to the fatal accident.
Forest Ranger Naval Kishore Negi also verified the death and said that the blaze had been brought under control. Villagers informed officials late at night, after which forest personnel were dispatched to the spot. It is suspected that the fire was deliberately set in the Bunga forest panchayat, and the strong winds carried it close to residential areas.
Village Pradhan Narendra Singh stated that the fire had originally started in the forest of neighbouring Dhamkar village and spread to Bunga due to the storm. He explained that eight to ten families live about a kilometre above the village and had rushed to douse the flames near their homes. During the effort, Sureshi Devi was caught in the blaze and fatally injured. Her husband Maganlal is unwell and stays at home, while her two sons work in Delhi and Gauchar respectively. The village Pradhan has demanded adequate compensation from the government and forest department for the bereaved family.
It may be recalled that this is the second death in Chamoli district caused by forest fires this season. A few days earlier, a fire watcher had died after falling from a rock while attempting to extinguish flames in the Birhi area, sparking grief and anger across the region.
Meanwhile, another major fire was reported near Palchuni village in Narayanbagar area of Chamoli, where miscreants allegedly set the forest ablaze under cover of darkness. The fire spread quickly through the dry forest with the help of strong winds, engulfing a large area and raising fears of further damage.
