india

Updated: Sep 20, 2019 06:10 IST

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 back. 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.

Her husband Ratabhai entered the well to rescue her, but he fell unconscious due to the toxic fumes. The other three met the same fate when they climbed down to rescue them, police said.

All of them were declared brought dead at a hospital.