MANSEHRA: Three young girls, including two sisters, drowned in a pond in Sherabad locality of Mansehra city on Tuesday.

Eyewitnesses said that the three girls, aging between eight and 12, were playing near the pond filled with rainwater when one of them fell into the water and the other two also jumped into the water to pull her out. All of them drowned in the water. Their bodies were later retrieved by the local people.

The two sisters were identified as Ayesha and Khudija. The other girl was their relative, who had come from Kohistan. Local people said that the pond was made owing to excavation of white marble in the locality.

According to local police, it was an accident as the ditch was filled with the rainwater. A delegation of the area met with the local station house officer and apprised him about incident.

Meanwhile, a man killed his wife and another person when he allegedly found them in compromising position in Tarangi Bala area.

Police said that the man was a resident of Kohistan but he was settled in the area. They said that he had gone to attend a wedding ceremony in Ichrian area and on his return he saw his wife with the other person and shot dead both of them. He managed to escape after the incident, they added.

GRANT: The district social welfare office in Kohistan has sought applications from senior citizens having age of 70 years or above for award special grant to them.

The special grant will be distributed among 333 elderly men and women under the ‘old age benefits scheme’ launched by the provincial government in the district.

The district office social welfare advised elderly people to submit applications within 24 days along with documents including computerised national identity card.

Meanwhile, district education department in Kohistan has taken legal action against 40 teachers for remaining absent from duty.

Riasat Khan, the district education office, told a press conference in Dasu on Tuesday that in most of remote areas teachers didn’t perform duty. He said that on the directives of education director was paying surprise visits to schools to take action against absentee teachers.

Mr Khan said that action was not taken only against absentee teachers but also against those officials of education department who were not performing duty.

The official said that notices were also served on senior officers in education department as he wanted to overhaul the department.

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2014