SHANGLA: A teenage boy allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself with a pistol in Shang area of Bisham tehsil here on Saturday, family and police said.

A Bisham police station official told Dawn that the boy, 16, was brought to the Tehsil Headquarters Hospital, Bisham, from Shang area in critical condition, where doctors referred him to Ayub Medical Complex Abbottabad, but he succumbed to his injuries while being taken to hospital.

The official said the family had told the police in their statement that the boy had shot himself with a pistol. He said medical report of the deceased was awaited to ascertain the actual cause of his death. However, he said the police had registered a case into the incident.

Meanwhile, several shops were gutted after a huge fire erupted in far-flung Kas Lilonai area of Alpuri tehsil. However, no human loss was reported.

Rescue 1122 spokesperson Rasool Khan said the fire erupted in one of the shops due to short-circuiting and spread to other outlets. He said as the area was remote firefighters had to reach there on foot. He added the fire was put out with the help of local people.

The rescue official said eight shops were gutted, adding the affected owners demanded compensation for the losses.

Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2021