Wednesday, 14 June 2023 | Anupma Khanna | Dehradun
A wave of shock and grief hit the provisional State capital as news came in that Bhupinder Gill, an iconic figure in the field of education in Dehradun, died in a fire mishap in a hotel at Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday. Her body was sent to Srinagar airport on Tuesday to be air-lifted to Dehradun, as per Jammu and Kashmir government sources.
Gill (75) was a senior and celebrated teacher of Convent of Jesus and Mary, Dehradun, which was also her alma mater. After retiring from CJM, she worked as the principal of The Heritage School. She had gone on a vacation to the hill station in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir. Gill along with her daughter and two grand-children had checked-in at The Mansion hotel on Monday afternoon only about an hour before a massive fire broke out at the property. They were resting in their rooms at that time and while the others managed to escape, Gill was charred to death in the flames. Four employees of the hotel also suffered burn injuries.
Though a short circuit is suspected to have been the cause of the blaze, it is yet to be ascertained as police officials investigate the incident. The fire was so intense that it took teams of police, hotel staff, locals, army and the NDRF over one hour to put out the flames.
Lieutenant governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha expressed sorrow over the tragedy saying, “Deeply anguished by the loss of a life due to the unfortunate fire incident at a hotel in Pahalgam. My heartfelt condolences and sympathies to the bereaved family. I have instructed the deputy commissioner to render all necessary assistance to the family.”
There was an outpouring of sorrow and disbelief from Monday night as news of Gill’s tragic death spread. Alumni and staff of CJM and The Heritage School were among those who took to social media to remember her with hundreds settled in different parts of the world posting photos and emotional messages.
Former CJM teacher Manju Dewan told The Pioneer, “Bhupinder’s loss is not only a personal loss to her family and friends but a loss to humanity as she was indeed a very good soul. Humility, grace and kindness defined her. She was an amazing teacher, athlete, adventurer who always encouraged her students to participate in sports and extracurriculars.”
Gill’s family friend Prashant Sharma remembered her as a very helpful human who would go all out for others. “She was a gem of a person and it is difficult to accept that she is no more,” he said.
