CHITRAL, Jan 8: Seven members of the Chitral Scouts were killed when an avalanche destroyed their checkpoint at Ziarat here on Tuesday morning, police officials said.

District Police Officer Sher Akbar Khan told Dawn that the incident occurred near an under-construction Lowari Rail Tunnel project.

The paramilitary men had been deployed in the area to provide security to workers on the site.

The official said that 14 personnel were inside the compound when the avalanche hit it. Eight of the men were buried under the debris and snow.

Police and local people rescued one paramilitary personnel, Noori Khan. They also retrieved seven bodies.

The bodies of Havaldar Zaffar Ali Shah, Naik Mirza Gul and Sepoy Mohsin Ali were retrieved while the bodies of Havaldar Mohammad Nayab Gul, Naik Mukhtar Ahmed, Sepoy Mehrab Hussain and cook Shah Jee could not be extricated.