A family in Iran kept the body of their teenage relative on ice so security police could not snatch him before his funeral.

A shocking image of the boy’s body has emerged on social media in Iran showing the 16-year-old covered in bags of ice.

Independent media have reported that his family had kept him like this for fear that his body would be snatched by Islamic Republic officials and given a secret burial.

Bahauddin Veisi was allegedly shot dead by security police at a funeral for a demonstrator in Javanrud, Kermanshah Province, on 20th November.

His body was reportedly retrieved by his family and kept on the floor covered in ice until his funeral could be held the next day.

The funeral – held for Bahauddin and killed sports teacher Irfan Kakai, 50 – was attended by thousands of mourners, as seen in this footage.

Many began chanting slogans against Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, prompting security police to open fire at them, allegedly including with DShK heavy machine guns.

Bahauddin and Irfan were ethnic Kurds, who comprise Iran’s third-largest ethnic group, after Persians and Azeris.

Mahsa Amini, 22 – whose death in the custody of morality police in September sparked the current wave of protests in Iran – was also Kurdish.

The ongoing demonstrations have killed at least 378 people, including 47 children, and injured at least 1,160, according to the latest independent estimates.

It is also understood that more than 17,000 people have been arrested so far.