Boy dies, mother critical in Kulgam asphyxiation incident amid power outages
Srinagar: A young boy lost his life, and his mother was critically injured due to asphyxiation caused by charcoal fumes in Kulgam district of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, where prolonged power cuts have forced residents to rely on unsafe heating methods.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the victims, from Gudar village in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district, were found unconscious during the intervening night of Friday and Saturday. The boy, identified as Nisar Ahmad Khan, succumbed to the fumes, while his mother, Fameeda Akhter, remains hospitalized in critical condition.
This is the third such incident reported in IIOJK within a week. Residents are heavily dependent on traditional charcoal heaters to combat freezing temperatures due to frequent and prolonged power outages during winter.
Experts have repeatedly warned about the dangers of using charcoal heaters in poorly ventilated spaces. They have urged the authorities to address the persistent power crisis, which exacerbates the hardships of the population and increases the risks of such preventable tragedies.
