Srinagar, January 5: In a tragic incident, five members of a family including two minors died apparently due to asphyxiation in a rented room at Mansoor Colony in Bemina area of Srinagar city during the night intervening Saturday.
Witnesses said the family of five was found dead at their rented room at Bemina area here this morning.
Witnesses said panic gripped entire area after the news about the mysterious death of five family members who had arrived here for treatment of one of their family members spread.
They said the family originally hailing from Batpora Tangdar in frontier Kupwara had arrived here for medical treatment of one of their female member at nearby SKIMS Medical College. They had hired a room at Mansoor Colony Bemina a week ago.
“Actually someone had repeatedly knocked the door however there was no response from the tenant’s side prompting him to break the door from outside. On entering into the room he found all of them lying unconscious. He immediately informed the concerned police about the matter,” witnesses said.
They further said the police immediately rushed to the spot and removed all of them to nearby SKIMS hospital for treatment; however they were declared as brought dead by the doctors.
Duty Officer (DO) Police Post Bemina said the family died apparently due to “asphyxia”. He said leakage in gas cylinder fitted with room heater lead to the death of five family members during night. He said the family had arrived Srinagar a week ago to get one of the female family members treated at SKIMS Medical College in Bemina.
He identified the deceased as Khursheed Ahmad 45 son of Abdul Rashid of Batpora Tangdar his wife Gulshan Jan 45 his two sons Faizan Ahmad 8 and Furkan Ahmad 5 years and his old aged mother Reshma Jan, 65.
Meanwhile, the administration has made arrangements for airlifting the bodies of the deceased to Tangdhar.
Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar Syed Abid Rasheed tweeted: “On the tragic deaths at Bemina, we have made arrangements for ferrying the dead bodies in heli sorties. Weather permitting first sortie will take place frm Sgr airport to Tangdhar tmrw at 9am.
“Embalming of bodies going on right now. Bodies to be kept at PCR mortuary overnight.”
Meanwhile, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah and vice-president Omar Abdullah, Peoples Conference Chairman, Sajad Lone JKPCC President, G A Mir and Senior CPI(M) leader M Y Tarigami have expressed grief over the deaths.
Lone, in an earlier tweet, had said that he spoke to Divisional Commissioner Kashmir and requested him that the bodies of the deceased be airlifted as the road to Tangdhar is closed due to snowfall.
