Five of family die inside sewage well in Gujarat

Five members of a family died of suffocation inside a well where sewage collected in Patan district of Gujarat, the police said on Thursday.

The incident took place at Gujarvada village in Sami tehsil two days ago.

The state government announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh each for the surviving members of the family.

The deceased were identified as Ranjanaben Sindhav (40), Ratabhai Sindhav (58), Ratabhai Nadoda (58), Rajabhai Sindhav (65) and Ajabhai Sindhav (45).

Ranjanaben fell into the well -- which was being used as a kind of septic tank -- when she accidentally stepped on its brick cover on the evening of September 17, a police official said.

Her husband Ratabhai entered the well to rescue her, but he fell unconscious because of the toxic fumes.

The other three met the same fate when they climbed down into the well to rescue the couple.

All of them were declared dead on arrival at the local hospital, said sub-inspector Y B Barot of Sami police station.

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Thursday announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh each for surviving members of the family from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund, an official release said.