During the wee hours of Tuesday, June 14, a tourist reception centre was set ablaze by unidentified miscreants in Chiniwoder village of Srigufwara in South Kashmir's Anantnag district.
Fire tenders were rushed to the spot and the fire was brought under control. An unnamed official reported, the TRC went up in flames after which fire tenders rushed to the spot and the fire was controlled well in time but the centre suffered partial damage.
A police team immediately was rushed to the spot to find out the cause of the fire. An FIR has been lodged under section 436 IPC number 60/2020. Investigations are on to ascertain the cause of the fire.
Reportedly, the building remained locked for a long time was set on fire in the early '90s. Currently, the J&K police have initiated an investigation and further updates are awaited in this matter.
J&K Govt opens the union territory for tourism in a phased manner
The timing of the fire is suspicious as the Jammu and Kashmir government decided to open the union territory for tourism in a phased manner starting July 14. The govt issued a set of guidelines for the same. The first phase will see tourists arriving by air only.
In an order released by the J&K Govt stated, "In the view of the Covid related measures, it is felt imperative to put in place a protocol to be followed by the tourists as well the persons/authorities engaged in the hospitality sector," the release read.