Patna: A tragic incident unfolded on Wednesday morning in Khairpur Kadwa under the Naugachhia police district of Bihar, where three labourers lost their lives due to suspected toxic gas exposure while cleaning a septic tank.
The accident occurred at around 8:30 A.M. in Purva Tola, Ward No. 3, at the residence of Jwala Yadav.
According to an official, the workers had entered the septic tank during ongoing construction work when they were overcome by poisonous gases.
One after another, all three men collapsed inside the tank.
Local residents said a fourth individual noticed something was wrong when the workers stopped responding.
He immediately raised an alarm, prompting villagers to act swiftly.
In a desperate rescue attempt, they broke a portion of the wall to pull the men out and rushed them to the Naugachhia Sub-Divisional Hospital. However, doctors declared all three dead on arrival.
The deceased have been identified as Bam-Bam Mandal, Jaynandan Mandal, and Shrilal Mandal, all residents of Lachhminia village in the Kadwa police station area.
Police teams from Kadwa and Naugachhia reached the spot soon after receiving information and initiated an investigation.
According to the Station House Officer (SHO) of Kadwa police station, the workers had entered the tank around 8:00 A.M. and stopped communicating after some time, raising suspicion among those standing outside.
Authorities stated that the victims were taken out within minutes of the police being informed and were rushed to the hospital, where they were declared dead.
“Post-mortem examinations have been conducted, and the bodies have been handed over to their families,” the SHO said.
The incident has triggered outrage and grief in the local community, with a large number of villagers gathering at the hospital.
Families of the deceased are in deep shock following the sudden loss of their men.
An FIR has been registered against the house owner, and further investigation is currently underway to determine lapses in safety measures and accountability in the incident.
(IANS)
