Ludhiana shanty fire: Two more kids die during treatment, toll reaches 4

ASI Paramjit Singh, investigating officer in the case, said that of six children who were burnt, four have died. Their two more siblings– Radhika (3) and Aman (5) are still fighting for their lives at PGIMER Chandigarh. “But according to doctors, Radhika has more than 60 per cent burns and Aman has 35 per cent burns. Radhika continues to be very critical,” said the ASI.

Of seven siblings, one infant had a lucky escape as he was sleeping in his mother’s lap. Six others were gutted in fire of which four have died in the painful tragedy.

Ludhiana rural police said that the incident took place when the six children along with their mother, Sunita, were sleeping inside the hut and had lit an oil lamp to keep themselves warm. Their father Bodhan Ram, a migrant labourer from Bihar, was not home at the time of the incident. As per details, sometime early on Monday morning, the fire broke out at the hut and the plastic sheet which was being used as a roof by the family, melted and fell on the children.

Police filed inquest proceedings under section 174 of CrPC stating that it was an accident as fire started from an oil lamp inside the shanty.