Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Friday expressed grief at the deaths of five people who are suspected to have died after inhaling toxic gas inside a well in the state's Janjgir-Champa district.
The chief minister took to social media platform X to post, "The news of the death of five villagers due to an accident in a well in the village of Kikirda of Jangir district is very unfortunate. I pray to God to grant peace to the departed souls and strength to the bereaved family to bear this immense sorrow. Om Shanti."
Among the victims were three people from the same family- a man and his two sons.
Yadumani Sidar (Sub-divisional Police officer, Janjgir Champa) said that on receiving information about the incident, Birra Police rushed to the spot.
A team from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) from Bilaspur retrieved the bodies of the five persons from the well.
A forensic team is present at the site, the SDPO said.
Detailing the incident that took place around 7.30 am today, the SDPO, Janjgir-Champa said one Ramchand Jaiswal, entered a well on the premises of his house to retrieve a strip of wood that had fallen into it. The well, he said had remained shut for several months and Jaiswal was getting it cleaned.
"When Jaiswal did not come back up, family members raised a hue and cry and neighbours gathered and four of them turn by turn entered the well to help him. All of them also did not return."
Along with Jaiswal the other victims have been identified as his neighbour Ramesh Patel and two of his sons Rajendra and Jitendra and another neighbour Tikesh Chandra.
"It is suspected that there could be some poisonous gas inside the well. Details will become clear after the forensic and SDRF team investigate," SDPO, Janjgir-Champa said.
Mr Yadumani also added that as soon as the information of the incident was received, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) team, along with the Tehsildar and Birra, reached the spot
"The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) has reached the incident spot along with the Tehsildar and Birra. They are further investigating on the case. It is being suspected that the deaths occurred due to a poisonous gas leak," he said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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