Kashmir Impulse Desk

Srinagar, June 25

Two men died after apparently inhaling toxic gases while cleaning a well in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Thursday, police said.

The incident occurred in the Hatmulla area of Kupwara, where the two men entered the well to carry out cleaning work before losing consciousness, officials said.

Rescue teams, including personnel from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and police, rushed to the site and retrieved the victims from the well.

Despite rescue efforts, both men were declared dead.

Police identified the deceased as Reyaz Ahmad Bhat and Aadil Ahmad Bhat, both residents of Hatmulla Padnal village.

Authorities said preliminary findings suggested the men were overcome by toxic gases that had accumulated inside the confined space.

Police have registered a case and launched an investigation into the incident.

Deaths caused by inhalation of poisonous gases inside wells, septic tanks, and other confined spaces are periodically reported across India, prompting repeated calls from safety experts for the use of protective equipment and gas detection measures before such cleaning operations are undertaken.