Boniyar, Jan 06: Tragedy struck Boniyar village in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district as five members of a family lost their lives to suffocation in Srinagar. The victims, Ajaz Ahmad Bhat (38), his wife Saleema (32), and their three children—Areeba (3), Hamza (18 months), and a month-old infant—succumbed to toxic fumes apparently from an electric blower on January 5, 2025.
The family had moved to Pandrathan, Srinagar, two months ago in search of better opportunities. Ajaz worked as a chef at a prominent hotel, striving to provide a brighter future for his children.
Back in Boniyar, the family’s ancestral home has become a place of mourning. Ghulam Mohammad Bhat, Ajaz’s elderly and paralysed father, remains unaware of the tragedy. Sitting under a blanket, he believes his son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren are unconscious. “I pray to God that my family members regain their senses soon. I want to see them, but I can’t stand or walk,” he told visitors, according to news gathering agency KINS, in a frail voice.
Neighbors and relatives have gathered to offer condolences, but the sense of loss is overwhelming. Ajaz’s elderly mother has been inconsolable since hearing the news. “This is an unimaginable loss for the family and the community. Ajaz was a hardworking man trying to provide a better life for his children,” said a local.
The tragic incident came to light when Ajaz’s sister, unable to reach him by phone, contacted the house owner, Mukhtar Ahmad. “She called me, saying Ajaz was not responding since 4 PM. I sent another tenant to check on them,” Mukhtar said.
“When the tenant knocked and got no response, we forced the door open and found the entire family lifeless,” Mukhtar recounted. Officials suspect suffocation caused by the electric blower, which likely depleted oxygen levels in the room.
The bodies were moved to Government Medical College and Hospital in Srinagar for post-mortem. Police have initiated an inquest into the incident.
This tragedy underscores the dangers of unsafe heating practices during Kashmir’s freezing winters. Subzero temperatures compel many families to rely on electric blowers and gas heaters, often without proper ventilation. “Unchecked use of heating gadgets increases carbon monoxide levels and depletes oxygen, leading to suffocation,” warned an official.
This marks the second such tragedy in recent days. Earlier, two minors lost their lives when a fire engulfed their tin-shed home in Tangmarg, Baramulla.
Authorities have urged residents to adopt safety measures when using heating appliances. They emphasize the need for adequate ventilation and regular maintenance of devices to prevent similar incidents.
The twin tragedies have prompted calls for greater awareness and safer heating alternatives, especially for vulnerable families living in poorly ventilated homes. Social organizations and local leaders have also called for government intervention to provide safer heating solutions during the harsh winter months. (KINS)
