Patna, Sep 13 : Three people lost their lives while cleaning a well, likely due to suffocation caused by poisonous gas inside the well in Cahksev village in Bihar's Gaya district on Friday.

The victims have been identified as Lalan Kumar, Subhash Kumar, and Chintu Tiwari, all residents of Chaksev village.

According to Venkateshwar Ojha, the Station House Officer (SHO) of Wazirganj police station, the incident occurred around 11.30 a.m.

"Lalan was the first to enter the well for cleaning. Unfortunately, he slipped and got stuck in the mud at the bottom of the well. Hearing his cries for help, Subhash quickly jumped in to rescue him but he also got trapped. Chintu also entered the well to help them but in vain. All three died due to the presence of toxic gases, which they were unaware had developed inside the well," Ojha said.

Villagers rushed to the scene after hearing cries for help and pulled them out of the well, but by that time, they lost consciousness.

They were rushed to the Common Health Centre in Wazirganj, where doctors declared them dead on arrival.

The villagers said that due to the scarcity of potable water in the area, they had decided to clean up the old well to make it usable again.

Unfortunately, they were unaware of the dangerous gases that had built up inside, leading to this heartbreaking incident.

The tragic event underscores the dangers of working in enclosed spaces like wells, where the buildup of poisonous gases can be a hidden threat. It also highlights the importance of safety measures when carrying out such tasks.

/IANS