PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti visits houseboats ravaged by fire on Dal lake

SRINAGAR: Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister, Mehbooba Mufti, on Sunday urged Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to provide soft loans to houseboat owners after visiting several houseboats ravaged by a massive fire that broke out a day earlier on Dal Lake in Srinagar.

Sharing some pictures from her visit on her official social media account on X, the People's Democratic Party supremo expressed hope that the fire stations will help to prevent such incidents in future.

"Visited Dal where several houseboats were ravaged by a massive fire on Saturday," the PDP chief posted on X. She wrote further that apart from extensive damage, three tourists died despite the efforts of locals to rescue them.

"Request @manojsinha_ji to provide soft loans & other essentials necessary for houseboat owners to rebuild".Perhaps in the future moving fire stations will help to prevent such incidents," Mufti added.

Three tourists were killed and eight others rescued after the fire broke out at a Houseboat on Dal Lake in Srinagar district, police said on Sunday.

According to officials, three tourists from Bangladesh, identified as Anindaya Kowshal, Das Gupta, and Mohammad Moinud, who were staying in the houseboat Safeena, lost their lives in the fire, they added.

"Three dead while eight people were rescued after several houseboats were gutted in a massive fire in Dal Lake," Jammu and Kashmir police said on Sunday. L-G Manoj Sinha on Saturday condoled the loss of lives in the Dal Lake fire.

"I am deeply pained by the loss of lives in the unfortunate incident at Dal Lake. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I have directed the district administration to provide all necessary assistance to the affected persons," the L-G said.