Foreign tourist killed, another injured as avalanche hits Gulmarg

Omar questions how they were allowed for skiing despite avalanche warning

5 Dariya News

Gulmarg 18-Jan-2018

A foreign tourist was killed and another was rescued on Thursday after an avalanche struck at Affarwat area of Gulmarg- the tourist resort place in Kashmir Valley.Official sources told news agency GNS that the incident occurred today afternoon when the foreigner tourists while taking part in the ski at Affarwat higher reaches of the Gulmarg.Two tourists namely Benjamin Asbers (27) and Daniel (25), both residents of Sweden, came under the avalanche and were immediately evacuated to nearby hospital by the rescuers where Daniel was declared brought dead.The condition of the injured tourist is said to be stable, they said.Additional Director General of Police (ADG) and Incharge IGP Kashmir Range Muneer Khan confirmed the incident to GNS.Meanwhile, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah questioned how these skiers were allowed to ski despite an avalanche warning issued a day before.“Very unfortunate. How were these skiers allowed to ski off piste considering that avalanche warnings had been issued 24 hours ago?”, Omar wrote on twitter.Pertinently, the Additional Commissioner Kashmir had issued an avalanche warning for seven districts including the Anantnag, Kulgam, Budgam, Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora and Ganderbal districts of Kashmir division.“The warning is valid from 1700 hrs January 17 to 1700 hrs January 18”, an official in a statement issued to GNS had said.While all concerned Deputy Commissioners have been asked to take all precautionary measures to avert any untoward incident, the general public has been appealed not to venture in the said areas during the given period. (GNS)