Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Nov 10: An Army Officer of an elite commando unit was charred to death in a fire that broke out in their camp in North Kashmir’s Bandipora district early in the morning today.
An Army spokesman said here that the fire broke out in the 5 Para unit of the Army in Sonarwani outside Bandipora town on Bandipora-Gurez road at around 2 a.m. He said that the cause of the fire is believed to be the electric short circuit but added that Army is investigating the cause of the fire.
Lt Colonel S Apte, second in command of counter -insurgency 5 Para unit of the Army, died after fire engulfed six huts inside the camp in Bandipora.
The fire damaged around 21 room accommodation of the troops of the Para unit. The fire tenders were rushed to the spot and fire was brought under control but major damage had already been done when the fire tenders reached the spot.
However, no injury was caused to the other Army personnel who were sleeping in the adjacent barracks in the camp. They immediately came out after the fire engulfed their barracks and helped in the initial fire fighting.
Body of Col Apte was recovered from the hut in which he was sleeping in charred condition. Senior Army, police and district administration officers reached to the spot and body was later taken to the Bandipora hospital for autopsy.
The body has been taken to 15 Corps headquarters of Army at Badami Bagh Cantonment in Srinagar. It will be flown to Ahmedabad, home city of the Colonel, tomorrow.
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