Three children sleeping on pile of straw burnt to death in Mirzapur

Two sisters and a brother, aged three to seven-years, were burnt to death at Pachokhara Khurd village in Madihan area of the district in Mirzapur, police said on Tuesday.

The children were sleeping on a pile of straw in the barn on Monday evening when it caught fire, police said.

The deceased were identified as Rani (3), Harshit (5) and seven-year-old Sunaina.

District Magistrate Praveen Kumar Lakshakar said shortly before the tragedy struck the family, their father Jitendra Kumar Dharkar had gone for some work in the village and the three children were playing in the barn and fell asleep. Somehow a spark fell on the straw kept inside and it caught fire.

The District Magistrate has sent SDM Madihan to the spot.

Officials of the Police and administration are also investigating the matter.