Ludhiana: Though authorities are still clueless about the exact source of the leakage and the type of gas which killed 11 people at Ludhiana city's thickly-populated Giaspura area, chilling details of the circumstance that caused the tragic deaths have emerged.
Police said the casualties comprise five females and six males. Two boys aged 10 and 13 are among the 11, who died in the incident. Five members of the same family have died in this accident. A person, who ran a clinic, his wife, daughter, and two sons were among the deceased. One deceased child is said to be 9 years old. All died in their sleep, cops said.
The children, who were also sleeping, died due to suffocation. Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner Surabhi Malik said it was likely that some chemical reacted with methane in manholes.
"We are going to collect samples from manholes. It is quite likely that some chemical reacted with methane in manholes," she said. Malik said those who died in the incident did not show any symptoms of respiratory problems. "It is likely that the deaths were caused by a neurotoxin," she added. A district administration official said a team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), which has reached here, will examine the case to ascertain the source and the type of gas.
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As it was a thickly-populated area, the immediate priority was to evacuate people from the place, the official further said. The Ludhiana DC said an NDRF team is engaged in extracting samples of various kinds of chemicals. She said once the nature of the chemical reaction is ascertained, the details will be shared. Police have sealed the area while a fire brigade and an ambulance have been deployed there. The DC said the gas, which leaked, has diluted to a large extent. Malik said a check will be conducted to see how far this gas spread. "We are collecting samples from manholes to just check what it is exactly and which gas came out after which chemically reacted with what. We are checking this and to what extent it spread, we are also checking it," Malik added.
She further said that CCTV cameras were being scanned. The DC said different teams of district administration, police, municipal corporation, and Punjab Pollution Control Board are stationed at the site.
Earlier, an NDRF official said it was yet to be found out which gas led to the tragedy. "We will check it first then we will let you know," said the official in a response to the type of gas. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said the incident was very painful and added that all possible help is being provided.
"The incident of the gas leak in Giaspura area of Ludhiana is very painful. Teams of police, district administration, and NDRF are present on the spot. Every possible help is being provided..," Mann said in a tweet in Punjabi.
Ludhiana Police Commissioner Mandeep Sidhu said someone might have put chemicals in the sewage which caused the accident. Sidhu also said that some small businessmen in this area might have dumped waste in this way and this could also be a trigger. MLA Rajinderpal Kaur said that the milk booth was open in the building and all those who went there to buy milk in the morning fainted.
