Madhya Pradesh: As per police report, three people had entered the well to clean it when they started drowning; five more people went in to save them. Unfortunately, all of them get trapped inside.
Madhya Pradesh: At least eight persons lost their lives after inhaling suspected toxic gas inside a well in Madhya Pradesh’s Khandwa district on Thursday (April 3). The incident took place in the Chaigaon Makhan area when eight persons entered the well to clean it on the occasion of ‘Gangour’ festival and got trapped inside, Khandwa Collector Rishav Gupta and SP Manoj Kumar Rai told media.
They wanted to clean the water body for immersion of idols during the festival, Gupta said. All eight died possibly due to the inhalation of a poisonous gas emanating from the well and their bodies were later fished out, said the officials.
SP Khandwa, Manoj Kumar Rai, said, “Eight people are feared to have drowned; bodies have been recovered. We are recovering more bodies than we can see. SDRF, Police administration and villagers are all cooperating in this operation. We are trying to bring them out as soon as possible. As per the preliminary information, the immersion of Gangaur Mata is scheduled to take place tomorrow (April 4). Traditionally, it was done in this well, located in the middle of the village. Three people had entered the well to clean it when they started drowning; five more people went in to save them. Unfortunately, all of them get trapped inside.”
MP CM Dr Mohan Yadav expresses grief
“In an unfortunate incident in the Kondavad village of Chhaigaon Makhan area under Khandwa district, a person who went down to clean the well for Gangaur immersion got stuck in the swamp. In an attempt to rescue a person, seven other persons who went down the well one after the other also got trapped inside. Sad news has been received that all eight persons died due to suffocation from the poisonous gas in the well.
As soon as the information about the incident was received, a joint rescue operation was carried out by the police, administration, home guards and SDERF team. In this hour of grief, I express my deepest condolences to all the bereaved families. Instructions have been given to provide financial assistance of ₹ 4 lakh each to the families of all the deceased. I pray to Almighty God to give all pious souls a place in his holy feet and give strength to the family members to bear this immense sorrow.