A tragic incident occurred in Kud Basti, Katkamdag block, Hazaribag, late on Tuesday, where three members of a family lost their lives after inhaling toxic gases inside a tank used for fermenting mahua for illegal liquor production, police said.
Victims identified
The deceased have been identified as Chameli Devi, 50, her son Ravi Kumar, 25, and her brother-in-law Mahendra Saw, 45. Chameli's husband Anand Saw, 55, is currently undergoing treatment at Sheikh Bhikhari Medical College and Hospital in Hazaribag in critical condition.
Sequence of events
According to police and locals, the family was allegedly involved in manufacturing illicit mahua and had recently constructed a tank for fermenting the liquor. Preliminary investigations suggest that toxic gases accumulated inside the enclosed chamber due to the decomposition process.
Chameli Devi entered the tank to retrieve the fermented mahua. When she did not return for a long time, her son Ravi went inside to check and also collapsed. Mahendra then entered the tank in an attempt to rescue them but fell unconscious as well. Finally, Anand entered the tank to save the three, but he too succumbed to the toxic gases and lost consciousness.
Neighbors later pulled all four out of the tank and rushed them to a medical facility. Doctors declared three of them dead on arrival, while Anand remains in critical condition.
Police investigation
Katkamdag police reached the spot after receiving information and sent the bodies for postmortem examination. Police also recovered liquor and materials used for its preparation from the site. Authorities are now investigating all aspects of the case, including the alleged illegal liquor manufacturing operation. They are trying to ascertain how long the operation had been running and whether others were involved.
Officer in-charge of Katkamdag police station, Saroj Kumar Singh, said, “Preliminary investigation indicates toxic gases may be the reason behind their deaths.” Further investigations are ongoing.
