Two villagers lost their lives in separate accidents involving wells in Chhattisgarh's Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi district, with one man slipping into a deep well near his house and another plunging into a dry well while trying to control a rampaging bull.
First Incident: Hemlal Tandiya
In the first incident, Hemlal Tandiya, a resident of Pipariya village in Gaurela, died after falling into a well located near his house on Sunday evening. According to police, Tandiya had returned home after visiting a neighbouring village and was standing on the edge of the well washing his feet in front of his wife when he lost his balance and fell into the deep well. Hearing cries from the well, villagers rushed to the spot and climbed down to rescue him. He was pulled out and taken to the district hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
Second Incident: Lakhanlal Kol
In a separate incident in Satokpur in Harratola gram panchayat, Lakhanlal Kol was killed while attempting to control a newly acquired bull. Police said Kol was leading the animal with a rope from his farm to another location when the bull suddenly became uncontrollable and started running. As he tried to restrain it, Kol lost his balance and fell into a nearby dry well. Villagers said the victim suffered severe injuries after striking a borewell pipe installed inside the well. Locals rushed to rescue him, but he had succumbed to his injuries before he could be brought out.
Police Action and Community Response
Police reached both locations after receiving information and carried out inquest proceedings. The back-to-back deaths have left residents of the affected villages in shock, with locals calling for greater safety measures around open and abandoned wells in rural areas. Many villagers expressed concern over the lack of protective barriers or warning signs near such hazardous structures. They urged local authorities to take immediate steps to prevent further tragedies, including covering or fencing off unused wells and conducting awareness campaigns about the dangers.
