8 die after inhaling toxic fumes while cleaning 150-year-old well in Madhya Pradesh

Madhya pradesh tragedy

Bhopal: A tragic incident unfolded in Madhya Pradesh’s Kondawat village during a routine well-cleaning task, resulting in the deaths of eight people due to toxic gas inhalation. The mishap occurred on Thursday while villagers were preparing the well for idol immersion as part of the Gangaur festival festivities.

How did all eight people get trapped in the well?

Initially, five individuals climbed down into the 150-year-old private well to clear out the accumulated sludge. However, they soon found themselves sinking into the thick, swampy residue. In an attempt to rescue them, three more villagers entered the well but were also overpowered by the hazardous fumes, leaving all of them trapped.

A joint rescue operation by the district administration, police, and SDRF teams lasted for four hours, during which all eight bodies were retrieved from the well.
Shaken by the tragedy, the villagers have resolved to seal the well to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The district administration has launched an investigation, with initial reports suggesting that the presence of toxic gases in the well caused suffocation and led to drowning.

MP CM announced ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh

Expressing his condolences, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav announced an ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh for the families of the deceased. He also assured that a detailed investigation would be conducted to determine the cause of the tragedy.

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