Five people were killed after getting trapped in a pit that was being dug to build a septic tank in Pratappura village, under Fatehabad police station of Agra district on Tuesday evening.
Four of the deceased were from one family and one was a neighbour.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath has expressed grief over the incident and declared a relief of ₹2 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased.
Agra district magistrate Prabhu N Singh said: “The victims were involved in digging the ground to construct a septic tank when mud collapsed on them while they were in the pit that was full of filthy water too. The water had seeped into the pit from a nearby septic tank. One person died on the spot while the four others were rushed to SN Medical College in Agra but were declared brought dead.”
“The deceased were identified as brothers Hari Mohan (17), Anurag (14) and Avinash (16) -- all three sons of Surendra Sharma. Their uncle Sonu Sharma (32) tried to save them but died in the process. Yogesh Baghel (20), living in neighbourhood, too, died after getting caught in the pit when he tried to save the others,” the DM said.
“The pit was being dug in the house of Surendra Sharma, who lost his three sons and a brother in the incident,” Singh said.
{{/usCountry}}“The pit was being dug in the house of Surendra Sharma, who lost his three sons and a brother in the incident,” Singh said.
{{/usCountry}}“After instructions from the chief minister, compensation of ₹2 lakh each was declared for the next of kin of each the deceased. The family of Sonu Sharma will receive 5 lakh under the Kisan Durghatna Bima Yojna because the land was in his name,” the DM said.