Three die after inhaling toxic gas while cleaning salt well in Rajasthan's Jodhpur

The labourers had taken the contract for cleaning the well of one Shyam Sundar and had started the work on Sunday itself. The police started an investigation into the incident.

Jodhpur (Rajasthan):At least three labourers died after allegedly inhaling leaked poisonous gas during the cleaning of a salt well in Rajasthan's Jodhpur, the police said on Sunday. The incident took place on the Halka border of the Jamba Police Station area in the nearby Phalodi district. The deceased have been identified as Laxman (23), Jaitaran (21) and Tilok Ram (30).

On receiving the information, the police and District Collector and Superintendent of Police reached the spot. The police then shifted the bodies to Phalodi Hospital. Superintendent of Police Hanuman Prasad Meena said, "60 feet-deep salt well, which was closed for 30 years was opened for cleaning. Two labourers, Laxman and Tilok entered the well and Jaitaran stayed outside. Both the labourers started suffocating after inhaling the poisonous gas. When there was no response from either of them for a long time, the third labourer also entered the well."

"While descending into the well, he became unconscious and fell inside and all of them died," Meena added. The police then pulled out the bodies and rushed them to the hospital where the doctor declared them dead. The bodies of the deceased have been kept in Phalodi mortuary and will be handed over to the relatives after post-mortem. The labourers had taken the contract for cleaning the well of one Shyam Sundar and had started the work on Sunday itself. The police started an investigation into the incident.