Police said it took four hours to retrieve the bodies from the well (Representational)

Three labourers died on Monday after inhaling a poisonous gas while cleaning a well in Madhya Pradesh's Sausar, police said.

The tragic incident took place in Ward No. 9 of Sausar town when the trio went inside the well to clean it.

However, all of them died after inhaling the toxic gas emanating from the well, Sausar police station in-charge Anil Singh said.

Mr Singh said the victims, all local labourers, were identified as Shakir Ahmed, 25, Shahid, 35, and Shri Timar, 40.

The police officer said it took four hours to retrieve the bodies from the well.

An investigation is on into the incident, he said.