The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Three die of asphyxiation after entering open well

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Three die of asphyxiation after entering open well

Staff Reporter

Two of them had gone to the rescue of the first person

BANGALORE: Three persons, who entered an open well in K.P. Agrahara police station limits, died of asphyxiation on Tuesday.

Police gave the names of the deceased as Vijay (22), Balaraj (30) and Gopi (23). Another person, Nagaraj, who also entered the well, came out due to suffocation, police said.

The incident occurred in an old well situated near a cluster of houses at C Street, 1st Cross, Magadi Road, around 8 a.m. The well, which was not in use, was opened on Monday as there was no water supply in the locality since three days. It belonged to one Srinivasa Shetty.

Vijay who was drawing water, got into the well after the plastic pot with which he was drawing water fell into the well. When he did not come out, his uncle, Balaraj, entered the well to rescue Vijay. When the two did not come out, Gopi also entered the well.

When the three did not come out, Nagaraj entered the well to rescue them but in vain. Vijay had come along with his ailing father Vadivelu, an ex-serviceman, from Vellore for treatment at city's Command Hospital. He came to visit his uncle Balaraj on Monday.

Balaraj was a painter. He is survived by wife and two children. Gopi, who was a speech impaired person, was working in a glass factory, police said.

Hundreds of people gathered at the accident spot. Senior police officials visited the spot.

Police and Fire and Emergency Services personnel had a tough time in recovering the bodies from the well, which was deep. In a desperate attempt to survive, the deceased were seen holding each others' legs, eyewitnesses said.

Compensation

Local MLA V. Somanna, who visited the spot along with other leaders, announced a compensation of Rs. 5,000 each to the aggrieved families. Deputy Mayor M. Lakshminarayana promised to get compensation .

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