Four people, including a man and his son, died after allegedly inhaling toxic gas inside a well in Bihar’s Gaya district on Friday, police said.
The incident occurred at Garh Karmouni village when a farmer Vijay Chaudhary (45) went down the well to fix a water pump motor. Seeing him struggle, his son Vikas Chaudhary (18) entered to save him.
Also Read I Two roads cave in after fresh rainfall in Ludhiana
Two other locals Dilchand Manjhi (28) and Chamari Manjhi (65) subsequently climbed down, but all four were trapped by the heavy concentration of gas and died, police said. “Suffocation from toxic, poisonous gases accumulated inside the old well caused the deaths,” SDPO Sherghati-2, Rajan Kumar said, adding, all bodies were sent for autopsy.
Chief minister Samrat Choudhary expressed grief over the incident, and directed officials concerned to provide ex gratia of ₹4 lakh each to kin of the deceased.