Snow storm in J&K's Poonch kills 15-year old

A 15-year-old boy was killed and four of his family members were injured in a snowstorm in the higher reaches of Poonch district in Jammu and Kashmir, a police official said Sunday.

Over 150 sheep and goats also perished in the snow storm which swept the high altitude Hill Kaka area in Pir Panjal yesterday, trapping a Bakerwal family from Rajouri district, the official said.

He said the family comprising five members was undertaking the bi-annual migration from central's Kashmir's Budgam to their Rajouri hometown when they got stuck in the storm while crossing Choti Marg near Hill Kaka.

After getting information about the incident, a police party with some villagers from Bafliaz reached the remote area and recovered the body of Usman Ali (15), a resident of Androte area of Rajouri, the official said.

Four other family members – Mohammad Aslam, his wife Bano Bi, Nazir Ahmad and Mohammad Yousuf – were rescued with injuries to their feet and shifted to a hospital in Srinagar.