Three tourists from Bangladesh dead as fire guts houseboats in Srinagar’s Dal Lake

“Three tourists from Bangladesh, namely Anindaya Kowshal, Das Gupta and Mohammad Moinud, who were staying in houseboat ‘Safeena’, lost their lives in the devastating fire,” police said in a statement. Officials said DNA samples had been taken from the bodies to further confirm their identities.

The fire is believed to have begun in one houseboat before it engulfed surrounding houseboats as well. The cause of the fire has not yet been established.

Apart from the five houseboats being gutted, the blaze also damaged seven huts in the surrounding area.

A Kashmiri inspects the damage after a fire gutted several houseboats early morning in the interiors of Dal Lake, on the outskirts of Srinagar, Kashmir, Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. (AP Photo)

Fire and emergency services, along with the SDRF, had rushed to the spot. Senior civil and police officials, including Srinagar Deputy Commissioner Ajaz Asad, visited the site to take stock of the situation.

Officials said records with travel operators suggested that the three people who died hailed from Bangladesh and were on a tourist trip to the Valley.

Remains of houseboats after a fire in the tourist hub of Dal Lake, in Srinagar, Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. (PTI Photo)

Police said several other tourists were evacuated from the nearby houseboats immediately after the fire erupted.

J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha condoled the deaths.

“I am deeply pained by the loss of lives due to the unfortunate fire incident at Dal Lake, Srinagar. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I have directed the District Administration to provide all necessary assistance to the affected persons,” Sinha said.

Houseboats, made of wood, are vulnerable to fire incidents. In April this year, seven houseboats were burnt in a blaze in Nageen Lake, which is also in Srinagar.

Officials said they are yet to assess the damage caused by the blaze but estimated that property worth crores of rupees was likely destroyed.

The cost of a houseboat is usually in the range of Rs 2-5 crore. They are a popular attraction for tourists in Srinagar.