SRINAGAR: Tragedy struck the village of Boniyar in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district as five members of a family tragically lost their lives to suffocation in Srinagar on January 5, 2025. 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, likely from an electric blower, in what appears to be a devastating accident.
The family had relocated to Pandrathan, Srinagar, two months earlier, seeking better opportunities. Ajaz, a dedicated chef at a prominent hotel, was striving to provide a brighter future for his children, a future that now lies tragically unrealised.
Back in Boniyar, the family’s ancestral home has turned into a place of mourning. Ajaz’s elderly and paralysed father, Ghulam Mohammad Bhat, remains unaware of the heart-wrenching loss. Sitting under a blanket, he continues to believe that his loved ones are merely 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 said, his voice frail with despair.
The grief-stricken community is rallying around the family. Ajaz’s mother, devastated by the news, is inconsolable, as local residents express their sorrow. “Ajaz was a hardworking man trying to provide a better life for his children. This loss is beyond imagination for both his family and the community,” said a neighbour.
The tragedy was uncovered when Ajaz’s sister, unable to contact her brother by phone, reached out to the house owner, Mukhtar Ahmad. After receiving no response to calls or knocks, the landlord sent a tenant to investigate. Upon forcing open the door, they discovered the entire family lifeless inside.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the toxic fumes from the electric blower, likely due to lack of ventilation, led to the suffocation. The bodies were transported to Government Medical College and Hospital in Srinagar for post-mortem, and the police have initiated an inquest into the incident.
This heartbreaking incident has highlighted the dangers associated with unsafe heating practices during Kashmir’s frigid winters. As temperatures plummet, many families turn to electric blowers and gas heaters, often without adequate ventilation, creating a deadly risk of carbon monoxide buildup and oxygen depletion. “Unchecked use of heating gadgets increases carbon monoxide levels and depletes oxygen, leading to suffocation,” an official warned.
This tragedy follows another recent loss in the region, where two minors perished in a fire that engulfed their tin-shed home in Tangmarg, Baramulla. Authorities are now urging residents to adopt safety measures when using heating appliances, including ensuring proper ventilation and regular maintenance.
The twin tragedies have sparked calls for greater awareness and the introduction of safer heating alternatives, particularly for vulnerable families living in poorly ventilated homes. Social organizations and local leaders are calling for government intervention to provide safer heating solutions during the harsh winter months, to prevent further loss of life. (With KINS inputs)
