A heartbreaking incident in Punjab's Tarn Taran district has resulted in the tragic deaths of a newly married couple, who succumbed to suffocation caused by toxic smoke from a makeshift heating arrangement inside their sealed room.
The Fatal Night on Jandiala Road
The victims have been identified as Gurmeet Singh (40) and his wife, Jasbir Kaur. The couple, who had been married for just six months, lived on Jandiala Road. Gurmeet Singh was a local businessman engaged in the inverter battery trade.
According to family members, the couple returned to their room late at night after finishing their work. To protect themselves from the intense cold, they lit a fire by burning wood in a bucket, a common but dangerous practice in the region during winter.
A Grim Discovery the Next Morning
The tragedy unfolded on Thursday morning when the couple did not emerge from their room. Concerned family members repeatedly tried calling Gurmeet Singh's mobile phone but received no response.
By around noon, with growing alarm, they approached the room. The door was locked from the inside, and they noticed smoke seeping out. With the immediate help of neighbours, the family was forced to break a window to gain entry.
Inside, they found the couple unconscious. Both Gurmeet Singh and Jasbir Kaur were declared dead at the scene, having inhaled poisonous gases in the oxygen-depleted, sealed environment.
Aftermath and Community Response
Deeply traumatised by the event, the family did not formally report the matter to the police. Instead, following the devastating discovery, they proceeded with the last rites and performed the cremation for the couple.
Local residents confirmed the sequence of events and the family's subsequent actions. This incident has sent shockwaves through the Tarn Taran community, highlighting the severe risks associated with improvised heating methods in poorly ventilated spaces during the winter months.
The avoidable nature of this tragedy serves as a stark and somber reminder of the critical importance of winter safety and proper ventilation. It underscores the lethal danger of carbon monoxide and toxic smoke buildup from burning biomass or coal in enclosed areas, a risk that increases significantly as temperatures drop across North India.
