Kulgam, Jan 21: A 65-year-old woman from Gudder village in Kulgam passed away on Tuesday in a hospital, 17 days after her son died of asphyxiation.
The incident has left the family devastated, claiming two lives due to the use of a charcoal heater.
The mother and son, Fehmeeda Begum and 24-year-old Nisar Ahmad Khan, were found unconscious in their home after keeping a charcoal heater on in a poorly ventilated room overnight. They were rushed to District Hospital Kulgam, later referred to GMC Anantnag, and eventually shifted to SKIMS Srinagar for advanced treatment.
While Nisar succumbed on January 4, Fehmeeda remained in the ICU for over two weeks before passing away on Tuesday morning.
Yawar Ahmad, the lumberdar of Gudder village, told Rising Kashmir that Fehmeeda was in the hospital and succumbed in the early hours of Tuesday.
He expressed profound grief and said that the family is now survived by only one son, who was working outside the state when the incident occurred back home.
Asphyxiation deaths in Kashmir:
This winter, Kashmir has witnessed a tragic rise in asphyxiation-related deaths, with at least 10 lives lost so far. On December 22, two residents of Kupwara died in Qamarwari, Srinagar, followed by the death of a two-year-old girl in Vas Batpora, Kulgam, on December 28, where three others were rescued.
On January 4, Nisar Ahmad Khan from Gudder, Kulgam, succumbed to asphyxiation, and his mother, Fehmeeda Begum, passed away 17 days later. In another heart-wrenching incident on January 6, an entire family of five perished in Pandrathan, Srinagar. These incidents underscore the urgent need for awareness about safe heating practices to prevent further tragedies.
Experts continue to stress the dangers of using heating devices in closed spaces. They urge residents to ensure proper ventilation and adopt safer heating practices to prevent these avoidable tragedies.
Date Details
December 22, 2024 Two Kupwara residents died due to asphyxiation in Qamarwari, Srinagar.
December 28, 2024 A two-year-old girl passed away in Vas Batpora, Kulgam; three others were rescued.
January 4, 2025 Nisar Ahmad Khan from Gudder, Kulgam, died due to asphyxiation.
January 21, 2025 Fehmeeda Begum, Nisar’s mother, succumbed 17 days after her son’s death.
January 6, 2025 A family of five perished due to suffocation in Pandrathan, Srinagar.
