Three villagers tragically lost their lives, and another was critically injured in Maihar, Madhya Pradesh, after entering an abandoned well successively to save a bull that had fallen in. The incident, which occurred in Kharmaseda village, shocked the community. Preliminary investigations suggest that the well, sealed for a long time, contained low oxygen levels and toxic gases, leading to the victims’ rapid suffocation upon entry.
Villagers initiated a frantic rescue operation before authorities arrived, using ropes and iron hooks to extract the victims from the approximately 35-foot-deep well. Subsequently, the police retrieved the bodies, sent them for post-mortem examinations, and launched a probe to determine the precise cause of death. Amarpatan Sub-Divisional Police Officer Khyati Mishra confirmed the deaths due to suffocation and the ongoing treatment of the sole survivor, emphasizing that a thorough investigation is underway.
The tragic event unfolded around 8:30 p.m. near Ramnivas Kushwaha’s residence when locals heard the distressed bull inside the well. Initially, two individuals descended to rescue the animal but succumbed to the toxic fumes. Subsequent rescue attempts by two more villagers met the same fate, resulting in the deaths of Krishna Kumar Yadav (28), Virendra Yadav (47), and Rahul Yadav (34), with Ramchandra Yadav (42) being the lone survivor. Ramchandra received immediate medical attention at Amarpatan Civil Hospital before being transferred to Satna district hospital for specialized care.
