A routine well-cleaning task turned tragic in Kondawat village of Madhya Pradesh when eight villagers lost their lives after inhaling toxic gas.
The incident took place on Thursday as locals were preparing the well for idol immersion ceremonies associated with the Gangaur festival. Five villagers initially entered the 150-year-old private well to clear out accumulated sludge. However, they quickly began to sink into the swampy residue at the bottom and became unresponsive.
Alarmed by the situation, three more villagers jumped in to rescue them, but they too were overcome by the poisonous fumes and became trapped inside the well. A rescue operation was launched by the district administration, local police, and SDRF personnel, lasting nearly four hours before all eight bodies were retrieved.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav expressed his condolences to the grieving families and announced an ex gratia compensation of ₹4 lakh for each victim’s family. He also promised a detailed investigation into the cause of the accident.
Preliminary reports suggest that the presence of toxic gases inside the well caused the victims to suffocate before drowning. In the aftermath of the tragedy, villagers have chosen to seal the well permanently to avoid any similar incidents in the future.
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