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Srinagar: A tragic incident claimed the lives of five family members, including three children, due to asphyxiation in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the family, originally from Gingal Uri in Baramulla district, had been living in rented accommodation in Sheikh Mohalla, Pandrathan, Srinagar, for the past three months. The victims include Aijaz Ahmad Butt, the head of the family, his wife, and their three children.
Police officials reported finding the family unconscious in their room with an electric blower present. They were rushed to the hospital but were declared dead on arrival. Initial investigations suggest that the electric blower, used to keep warm during the freezing winter nights, caused oxygen depletion in the room, leading to asphyxiation.
The house owner, Mukhtar Ahmad, said he received a call from Butt’s mother, who was concerned after her son did not answer her repeated calls. The landlord asked another tenant, Maqsood Ahmad, to check on the family. Maqsood discovered them unconscious and alerted the authorities.
This incident underscores the severe consequences of prolonged power outages in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, where residents are compelled to rely on unsafe heating alternatives during harsh winters. The persistent electricity crisis has drawn criticism from locals, who blame the administration for failing to ensure basic services and infrastructure.