Brothers choked to death in sleep by coal fumes in Ludhiana

Two brothers, aged 12 and 10, were asphyxiated to death by coal fumes in their rented accommodation where they were sleeping along with other family members in Ludhiana’s Chander Lok Colony late Monday night.

The deceased were identified as Gaurav and Saurav who studied in Classes 4 and 3 at Government primary School, Rahon Road. The victims’ parents, Pramod (33) and Nisha (32), their aunt Sunita (32) and her husband Sushil (35) were undergoing treatment in hospital. The six fell unconscious due to poisonous gas emitted by coal that was left smoldering an ‘angithi’ (brazier), it is learnt. All of them were rushed to the Ludhiana civil hospital on Tuesday morning where the two children were declared brought dead.

Except for Nisha, all others had regained consciousness.

Sushil, who lives in the same locality and works in a printing unit on Rahon Road, said, “Around 11pm on Monday, I along with my wife went to meet Pramod at their rented accommodation. They lit coal in the ‘angithi’ as it was really cold. Later, we slept over there and after that I couldn’t recall. I just woke up here at the hospital.”

Pramod’s landlord Tarsem Lal said, “Yesterday night, they took keys of the main gate saying their guests were coming to meet them. When I went to take the keys back today morning, they didn’t open their door despite my knocking it repeatedly. I alerted the police who reached around 8am. Then we broke open the door only to find occupants unconscious. The room was filled with smoke.”

The victims’ family hails from Hardoi district in Uttar Pradesh and is residing in Ludhiana for over a decade. Pramod also works in printing unit in Subash Nagar.

Tibba station house officer (SHO) Swaran Singh said legal proceedings will be carried out on the basis of the statement of the deceased’s father.