‘Shell’ Blast: After daughter, mother loses battle for life in Handwara

HANDWARA — Two days after her 19-year-old daughter was killed, a 49-year-old woman succumbed to the serious wounds at a hospital in Srinagar in wee hours of Saturday, official sources said.

The mother and the daughter had suffered grievous wounds when a “dead shell” went off while they were cleaning collard greens, popularly known as ‘Haakh’, and some forest vegetables (‘longdi’), kept inside a bag, at their residence in Sharkoot Villgam in Taratpora Amargargh area of Handwara.

Police said that the duo had apparently brought the “dead shell” along with the vegetables from nearby forest area on Tuesday (May 25).

On next day (Wednesday), as they were cleaning the vegetables from inside the bag, there was big blast suddenly, leading to the serious injuries to them, police said.

Identified as Sara Begum (49) wife of Ghulam Ahmad Rather and her daughter Gulnaza Banu (19), they were removed to local hospital at Handwara where the teenaged-girl succumbed to wounds immediately while the middle-aged woman was shifted in critical condition to Srinagar for specialized treatment.

Official sources said that Sara Begum succumbed to the wounds at the Srinagar hospital on wee hours today.

Police has already filed a case and further investigations are underway. So far, no compensation has been paid to the family by the administration.