4 die after falling into open sewer in Anantnag

› The man fell into the pit after inhaling gas emanating from the trench. His wife Shamima rushed to help him but she also fell into it. ALTAF KHAN , superintendent of police, Anantnag

SRINAGAR:In a tragic incident, four persons, including a woman-son duo, were killed after they allegedly inhaled gas and fell into a sewer in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Sunday. One of the officials said the incident happened in Utersoo when a man Mohammad Maqbool opened the slab of his sewer for its cleaning.

Superintendent of police Anantnag, Altaf Khan said the man suddenly fell into the pit after inhaling gas emanating from the trench.

“His wife Shamima rushed to help him but she also fell into it. Few men from neighbourhood tried to help them but even they fell unconscious due to the gas,” Khan said. The officer said five persons were retrieved from the trench of which four were declared dead at a hospital. The dead include Shamima, son Sabzar Ahmad and family’s two neighbour siblings Zahid Ahangar and Umar Ahangar. The dead were between 20 and 40 years, said the officials.

A police official said Maqbool is undergoing treatment at district hospital Anantnag. Medical superintendent of the hospital, Dr Majeed Mehrab said three young men were brought dead to the hospital. DC Mohammad Younis also confirmed the deaths including that of the mother-son duo. Younis said,“Primarily the deaths happened due to falling in a trench. We are trying to ascertain the real cause.”