One dies inhaling poisonous gas while digging well

While digging for installing a hand pump, a youth died of inhaling poisonous gas and two others fell unconscious due to the same at a village in Kankhal on Monday morning. Those who lost consciousness were rushed to the district hospital where they were under treatment, said police. The family members of the deceased and the two affected by the incident held a protest in the hospital premises, demanding adequate compensation.

Police informed that the incident took place on Monday morning when Vinod, resident of Jiapota village in Kankhal, was digging a well in the house of one Krishan Pal along with two others Arjun and Siyanand whom he employed to assist him in installing a hand pump in the house of Pal. After they dug around 20 ft deep a poisonous gas engulfed them. While Arjun died on spot, Vinod and Siyanand fell unconscious. Speaking of the matter, Knakhal police station in-charge Om Kant Bhushan said that Arjun had died after he inhaled the poisonous gas and the other two were under treatment.