Banspal: In a tragic mishap, two young men died of suffocation while three others were left critically ill after allegedly inhaling fumes from a generator in Banspal block of Odisha’s Keonjhar district. The incident took place in Sudung under Nayakote police station limits while Laxmi Puja celebrations were underway in the village at night. The deceased have been identified as Rajendra Sahu and Nitu Sahu, both residents of Sudung village. The injured are Jagannath Giri, Prashant Dehuri and Niradash Dehuri.

The five youths had reportedly gone to sleep in a house with a generator running overnight. They are believed to have suffocated after inhaling the fumes emitted by the generator.

Victims found unconscious in the morning

When the house remained locked and its doors did not open in the morning, villagers grew suspicious. They subsequently entered the house, rescued the five men who were unconscious, and rushed them to the Banspal medical facility. However, two of them died on the way to the hospital. The remaining three, who were in critical condition, were shifted to Keonjhar medical facility for advanced treatment. Their condition is not stable yet, hospital sources informed.

A pall of gloom descended on the village as news of the tragic deaths spread. Police, meanwhile, reached the spot and began probe.