New Delhi, July 20 (IANS) Four villagers lost their lives after allegedly inhaling toxic gas while attempting to rescue a calf that had fallen into a well in Munimpur village of Haryana’s Jhajjar district on Monday.
The victims reportedly suffocated inside the well, triggering a major rescue operation that lasted nearly three hours.
According to officials, the incident began when a calf fell into the well. In an attempt to save the animal, one of the villagers climbed down into the well but was overcome by suspected poisonous gas. Three others entered the well one after another to rescue him but also became unconscious after inhaling the gas.
The deceased have been identified as Dalbir, Narendra, Monu and Ramu. After an extensive rescue operation, all four were pulled out of the well and rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared them dead.
A joint rescue operation was carried out by teams from the Jhajjar Police, Fire Department and district administration, who worked for nearly three hours to retrieve the victims from the well.
Police Commissioner Dr. Rajshree Singh reached the spot and monitored the rescue operation. Congress MLA Kuldeep Vats was also present at the site during the rescue efforts.
During the operation, Sub-Inspector Rajesh Kumar also fell ill while participating in the rescue. He was admitted to a private hospital, where his condition is reported to be stable.
Following the tragedy, grieving villagers alleged that the administration did not respond promptly and claimed that timely assistance could have prevented the deaths. They demanded an enquiry into the incident and appropriate action against those responsible for the alleged delay in emergency response.
Authorities are expected to investigate the exact cause of the deaths, though initial reports suggest that the victims succumbed to suspected toxic gas accumulated inside the well. Police and district officials are also examining whether adequate safety measures were followed during the rescue attempt.
The incident has sent shockwaves through Munimpur village, with residents mourning the loss of the four villagers who died while trying to save the trapped calf.
–IANS
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